Archbishop of Washington, DC Visits the Washington Theological Union

October 14, 2009

Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, DC, spoke to students, faculty and staff of the Washington Theological Union, a Roman Catholic school of theology and ministry, about the importance of the lay ministry and the future of the Catholic Church. This was Archbishop Wuerl’s first visit to WTU.

The President of the Washington Theological Union, Carmelite Father Frederick Tillotson, greeted the Archbishop saying, “It is certainly a great pleasure and privilege to be able to welcome Archbishop Wuerl this evening. To be able to dialogue with you, Archbishop, as our shepherd is so important to everything we do. This evening gives us a special opportunity to pledge ourselves to you, ask for your guidance, and certainly to commit to helping in the Archdiocese of Washington.”

Archbishop Wuerl was pleased to hear that WTU is currently educating 48 candidates for the priesthood as well as 32 priests and religious, and 160 lay students for graduate degrees and certificates in Catholic theology. He welcomed the gathering by saying, “Ministry, whether it is ordained ministry or lay ministry is a participation in the mission of the church. With the Church as the starting point we are all called out of our baptism to announce through our lives and manifest in our actions this Kingdom of God which is unfolding in our world. The purpose of our ministry is the evangelization and sanctification of the world.”

By recalling that Jesus’ message is lived and passed on in a faith community, Archbishop Wuerl called on the students and faculty of Washington Theological Union to be witnesses to the Word of God. By remembering the words of Pope Paul VI, the Archbishop said, “People listen more to witnesses than teachers. And if they listen to a teacher it is because the teacher is also a witness.”