Wilton Gregory’s Explanations

CNN: By Chandrika Narayan, CNN, and Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

The archbishop is selling his 2.2 million, 6000 sq ft mansion, and he gives two reasons: times have changed, I didn’t consider the impact.

What do you think?

(CNN) – After coming under sharp criticism and issuing an apology earlier this week, the Archbishop of Atlanta announced Saturday that he would vacate his $2.2 million mansion in early May.

The decision came after a meeting with members of several church councils and parishioners in Archbishop Wilton Gregory’s headquarters north of Atlanta….

Gregory moved into the 6,000-square-foot home in Atlanta’s upscale Buckhead neighborhood in January. It was built on land donated by Joseph Mitchell, nephew of “Gone With the Wind” novelist Margaret Mitchell.

The property will be sold and the proceeds invested in the needs of the Catholic community, according to the statement. The archbishop will move into another available Archdiocesan property.

Earlier this week, Gregory publicly apologized for building the mansion.

“What we didn’t stop to consider, and that oversight rests with me and me alone, was that the world and the Church have changed,” Gregory wrote Monday in the archdiocesan newspaper….

In Atlanta, Gregory said he had received “many … heartfelt, genuine and candidly rebuking” e-mails, phone calls and letters during the past week.

“I failed to consider the impact on the families throughout the Archdiocese who, though struggling to pay their mortgages, utilities, tuition and other bills, faithfully respond year after year to my pleas to assist with funding our ministries and services,” the archbishop said.