Roman Catholic Archbishop. The first African-American to hold the rank. He entered the priesthood with the Josephite Fathers, the regular order of his childhood parish, and was ordained at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. He taught religion, science, and history at the Josephite minor seminary and earned a Master of Religious Education degree from Fordham University. He became the spiritual director for the St Joseph Seminary in 1968 and oversaw the permanent diaconate program. He was elected Vicar General of the Josephite Society in 1971 and conducted the administrative business of the order for three years. Consecrated bishop on 12 Sep 1974, he spent fourteen years as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. He was secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and was the first African-American to hold a significant position in the organization. His contributions on the "heresy of racism" and racial inclusion led to co-authorship of a major conference pastoral letter on evangelization, particularly directed at black Catholics. He was elevated to the position of Archbishop of Atlanta in 1988, but resigned two years later, citing personal problems and the need for "...an extended period of spiritual renewal, psychological therapy and medical supervision." Subsequent revelations of an improper relationship with a female parishoner led to his formal apology for having broken his vow of lifelong chastity. Following treatment in the Midwest, he entered a new phase of ministry as director of the St Vincent Medical Center's Clergy Consultation and Treatment Service in Westchester County, New York, an outpatient program for priests and brothers troubled by mental illness, sexual behavior issues, or substance abuse. He remained active with this Rochester ministry throughout the 1990s. He celebrated his silver jubilee of episcopal consecration privately with John Cardinal O'Connor of New York, at which he was described as "the wounded healer affirming...brothers in their struggles." In an audience with Pope John Paul II shortly after, he affirmed that he was at peace. He died unexpectedly of an overnight heart attack at the completion of his annual retreat at the St Ignatius Salesian Retreat House, having received the sacraments and the anointing of the sick the previous evening. Following memorials in New York and his home parish, and funeral Mass at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Biloxi, he was buried alongside his parents.