John Wright (cardinal)

John Joseph Wright (July 18, 1909 – August 10, 1979) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy from 1969 until his death.

Wright taught philosophy and theology at his alma mater of St. John's Seminary until 1943,[1] when he was appointed private secretary to the Cardinal William Henry O'Connell of Boston.

Wright received his episcopal consecration on the following June 30 from Archbishop Cushing, with Bishops Ralph Hayes and James Connelly serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

In this position, he criticized both Utopians and doom-sayers, and quoting Cardinal Feltin of Paris, said that an exemplary Christian "[recognizes] the vast errors of which human nature is capable... but [knows] that grace is stronger than sin".

[5] A member of the Mariological Society of America, he hosted at Worcester the group's 1950 convention[6] Wright became the eighth Bishop of Pittsburgh on January 23, 1959, and then attended the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), during which he was a decisive force behind several of its documents.

[17] Archbishop Alberto Bovone, who worked as the undersecretary of Wright, wrote of the characteristic features of his personality: strong, exuberant joviality, who gave wise and humorous contributions during meetings; saw himself as the Pope's soldier, with a combatant's temperament; an ardent and indefatigable worker, who was reluctant to rest when involved in a project; generous towards his friends and co-workers, giving them gifts as tokens of affection; love for the faith that led him to correct theological errors of the media and to be upset at theologians who superimposed their opinion over sacred doctrine, while being indulgent towards persons who admitted their mistakes.

[19] The John Cardinal Wright Award is given to those in the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese who have made a significant contribution in fulfilling the mission of the church through working with youth and young adults.