George Albert Guertin
Encyclopedia
George Albert Guertin was an American
Roman Catholic
bishop
.
Guertin was born in Nashua
, New Hampshire
, of French Canadian
parentage. After attending St. Hyacinthe College in Quebec
and St. Charles College in Sherbrooke, he studied at St. John's Seminary
in Brighton, Massachusetts
; he was the first alumnus of St. John's to become a bishop.
He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop Denis Mary Bradley
on December 17, 1892. He was a curate
in Manchester
and Lebanon
before serving as pastor
of St. Anthony's Church.
On January 2, 1907, Guertin was appointed the third Bishop of Manchester
by Pope Pius X
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following March 19 from Archishop Diomede Falconio
, with Bishops Matthew Harkins
and Michael Tierney
serving as co-consecrators
. His tenure lasted for over 24 years (the longest in the history of the Manchester Diocese), and spanned the industrial changes of the early twentieth century, the hardship of World War I
, the economic distress of mill
closings, and ultimately the Great Depression
.
He died at age 62.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
.
Guertin was born in Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, of French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
parentage. After attending St. Hyacinthe College in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and St. Charles College in Sherbrooke, he studied at St. John's Seminary
St. John's Seminary (Massachusetts)
Saint John's Seminary, located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is a Catholic major seminary sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston....
in Brighton, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
; he was the first alumnus of St. John's to become a bishop.
He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Bishop Denis Mary Bradley
Denis Mary Bradley
Denis Mary Bradley was an American Catholic priest, who became the first Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire...
on December 17, 1892. He was a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in Manchester
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
and Lebanon
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
before serving as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Anthony's Church.
On January 2, 1907, Guertin was appointed the third Bishop of Manchester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the region of New England in the United States comprising the entire state of New Hampshire...
by Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following March 19 from Archishop Diomede Falconio
Diomede Falconio
Diomede Angelo Raffaele Gennaro Falconio, OFM was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for Religious from 1916 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Biography:Diomede Falconio was born in Pescocostanzo as one of the five...
, with Bishops Matthew Harkins
Matthew Harkins
Matthew Harkins was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Providence from 1887 until his death in 1921.-Biography:...
and Michael Tierney
Michael Tierney (bishop)
Michael Tierney was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Hartford, Connecticut from 1894 until his death in 1908.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. His tenure lasted for over 24 years (the longest in the history of the Manchester Diocese), and spanned the industrial changes of the early twentieth century, the hardship of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the economic distress of mill
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
closings, and ultimately the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
.
He died at age 62.