Saints Peter & Paul Cathedral - P.O. Box 301767 - St.Thomas, US Virgin Islands 00803
"...EQUIPED FOR BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST..." Eph.4:12
HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
- His Holiness Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936, is the head of our Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Francis is the first Jesuit Pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1963 and became the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. He was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope Jean Paul II. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1963 Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013, Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio was elected People on March 13, 2013. His papal name was chosen in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
HIS EMINENCE WILTON CARDINAL GREGORY
- His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory, in full Wilton Daniel Gregory, was born on December 7, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. Archbishop of Washington since 2019, he was appointed administrator of the diocese of Saint Thomas by His Holiness Pope Francis, upon bishop Herbert Bevard’s resignation in September 2020. Cardinal Gregory has previously served as archbishop of Atlanta (2005-2019) and as bishop of Belleville, Illinois (1994-2005). He was the first Black president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (2001-2004) and became the first African American Cardinal on November 28, 2020.
HIS EXCELLENCY BISHOP JEROME FEUDJIO
- His Excellency Jerome Feudjio is a native of Cameroon, Africa. He was ordained by His Eminence, Cardinal Sean O’Malley for the Diocese of Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 29, 1990. He has performed a variety of pastoral and administrative assignments in the Diocese, and was lately the Vicar General, the Moderator of the Curia, the Vicar for Clergy and Vocations, and the Rector of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. On March 2nd, His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed him as the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of St Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is the First African-Born Bishop in the United States of America.
WILTON CARDINAL GREGORY Archbishop of Washington
At the conclusion of the Angelus, on November 25, Pope Francis had announced a Consistory for the creation of 13 cardinals. Among them, Bishop Wilton Daniel Gregory, Archbishop of Washington. On Saturday, November 28, 2020, after three negative Covid-19 tests, while in a 10 days quarantine at a Vatican resident building, Archbishop Gregory and 10 other new bishops that had been able to travel, were allowed to attend that very special and colorful ceremony where Gregory became the first Black American to earn the rank of Cardinal.
With this elevation, Cardinal Gregory has become one of the papal electors. The Catholic Church now regroups 229 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope. This number includes 128 cardinals under 80 years old among which 73 have been named by Pope Francis. It is worthy to note that even though Pope Francis did not wear a mask for the ceremony, Cardinal Gregory kept his on.
Later on, after the ceremony, the Pope and the new Cardinals payed a visit to retired Pope Benedict XVI now 93 at the Monastery where he resides inside the Vatican. He was pleased to see the new Cardinals and joyfully gave them his blessings. .
ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION OF
His Excellency Jerome Feudjio
SIXTH BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF SAINT THOMAS
CONGRATULATIONS, MONSIGNOR JEROME!
1990 ~ SEPTEMBER 29 ~ 2020: 3O YEARS OF PRIESTLY ORDINATION
We wish a Happy 30th Anniversary of Priesthood to the Reverend Monsignor Jerome FEUDJIO, current Rector of Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. Monsignor Jerome, a native of Cameroon, Africa, was ordained by His Eminence, Cardinal Sean O’Malley for the Diocese of Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 29, 1990.
Monsignor has performed a variety of pastoral and administrative assignments in the Diocese and is presently the Vicar General, the Moderator of the Curia and the Vicar for Clergy and Vocations.
Thank you, Monsignor, for your many years of dedicated service to the people of God in the Diocese of Saint Thomas.
May the Holy Archangels guard you and protect you; may the Good Lord grant you Health, Peace, Joy and Wisdom ; may the Heavenly Father's renewed Favor and Unction rest upon you while you continue the mission He has entrusted to you.