Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory speaks during a Mass to repent clergy sexual abuse and to pray for molestation victims, June 14, 2017, in Indianapolis, Indiana. AP

Rome -- Pope Francis has tapped Archbishop Wilton Gregory to head the high-profile, sexual abuse-battered Washington D.C. archdiocese. The 71 year old prelate succeeds Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who resigned in October following criticism over his handling of abuse cases in the 1980s and 90s. Wuerl's predecessor, former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, was defrocked by Pope Francis after a Vatican investigation concluded he had sexually abused minors and adults.

By contrast, Gregory led the U.S. Catholic Church in its adoption of a "zero tolerance" policy against sex abuse. He was president of the U.S. Bishops' Conference in 2002, during the first wave of the abuse crisis, and was instrumental in the development and adoption of tough procedures to handle clergy sex abuse in the U.S., commonly known as "the Dallas Charter."

"From this day forward, no one known to have sexually abused a minor will work in the Catholic Church in the United States," Gregory declared at the time. Gregory also apologized for what he called the Church's, "tragically slow response in recognizing the horror of sexual abuse."

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Following the announcement of his appointment, Gregory said in a statement that he was, "deeply grateful to Pope Francis for this appointment to serve the archdiocese of Washington and to work with all of the members of this faith community."

The archbishop will be the first African American to head the Washington archdiocese. The post is an influential one and its archbishop is historically made a cardinal, so Gregory is likely to become the first-ever African American to enter the College of Cardinals.

In addition to leading Washington D.C.'s Catholic community of 655,000, Wilton is also expected to be the liaison between the U.S. Catholic Church and the White House and Congress.

Gregory is considered a moderate whose vision of a pastoral church is in line with that of Pope Francis. He has also been outspoken on racism and xenophia.

Wilton is originally from Chicago, and converted to Catholicism as a teenager. His installation as archbishop of Washington was set for May 17.