Dec. 7, 1947

Born to Wilton Sr. and Ethel Duncan Gregory in Chicago

1958-1961

Attended St. Carthage Grammar School

1959

Converted to Catholicism and was baptized on Holy Saturday, March 28, 1959

1961-1965

Attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South

1965-1967

Studied at Niles College (now St. Joseph’s College Seminary) of Loyola University

1967-1973

Studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary

May 9, 1973

Ordained a priest of the Chicago Archdiocese by Cardinal John Cody

1976

Began graduate studies at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute (Sant’ Anselmo), Rome

1980

Earned doctorate in sacred liturgy from Pontifical Liturgical Institute

Dec. 13, 1983

Ordained an auxiliary bishop of Chicago

1991-1993

Chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Liturgy

Feb. 10, 1994

Installed as seventh bishop of the Diocese of Belleville, Ill.

1998-2001

Chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committees on Personnel and the Third Millennium/Jubilee Year 2000

November 2001

Elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, following three years as vice president under Bishop Joseph Fiorenza of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, Texas.

2004

Awarded the Sword of Loyola from Loyola University of Chicago

Dec. 9, 2004

Appointed as the sixth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Atlanta by Pope John Paul II

Jan. 17, 2005

Installed as archbishop of Atlanta

2006

Inducted into the Martin Luther King Board of Preachers at Morehouse College, Atlanta

Honored with the Cardinal Bernardin Award given by the Catholic Common Ground Initiative

2007

Chairman-elect of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs