Monsignor Charles Pope is the Pastor of Holy Comforter – St. Cyprian Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. and in his spare time is involved with Catholic media and lectures across America, and has attracted many readers from across the globe through the internet. This website is a central location for the many forms of Catholic media the Monsignor appears in including: radio, newspapers, blogs, video, lectures, and social media.
Short Bio – Monsignor Charles Pope
Msgr. Charles Pope was born July 10, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois to Charles and Nancy Pope. He and his family moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 1972. He studied in the public school system and graduated from Garfield Senior High School in Woodbridge, VA in 1979.
Fr. Pope attended George Mason University for Undergraduate Studies were he attained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science in 1984. He worked briefly with the Army Corp of Engineers as a Computer Systems Analyst.
Fr. Pope’s interest in the priesthood stems from his experience as a church musician. Through his college years he served as a church organist, a cantor and choir director, and through this work discovered his vocation to the priesthood. He entered Mt. Saint Mary’s Seminary in 1985 where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree as well as a Master of Arts Degree in Moral Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 1989 by James Cardinal Hickey.
Fr. Pope’s first assignment was at Mt. Calvary Parish in Forestville, MD as Associate Pastor from 1989-1993. From 1993-1999 Fr. Pope served as Associate Pastor of Holy Comforter – St Cyprian in Southeast Washington, D.C. From 1999-2000 he was Associate Pastor at St. Mary’s Parish in Laurel, MD. In April of 2000 Fr. Pope was appointed Pastor of St. Thomas More Parish in Southeast Washington, D.C. In 2007 Msgr. Pope returned to Holy Comforter – St. Cyprian Parish where he currently serves as Pastor.
From 1997-1999 Fr. Pope Conducted a Weekly Bible Study in the U.S. Congress that was well attended. He currently conducts a weekly Bible Study at the White House. Other ongoing assignments for Fr. Pope include, being the Spiritual Director for the Washington Comitium of the Legion of Mary and Archdiocesan Coordinator for the Celebration of the Latin Mass. He is a member of the Priest Council and an Archdiocesan Consultor.
He was named a Monsignor in 2005. He has published several articles in pastoral journals, offered a regular column in the Catholic Standard, and writes weekly for Our Sunday Visitor and the National Catholic Register. He has taught numerous catechetical courses both in his parish work, and for the Archdiocese and has preached more than a dozen retreats for priests. He is Dean of the Northeast Deanery. Msgr. Pope immensely enjoys his work as a diocesan priest, a media priest, and a parish pastor.
Monsignor Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter – St. Cyprian Church.