Gregory John Hartmayer
Encyclopedia
Gregory John Hartmayer, O.F.M. Conv.
(born November 21, 1951) is an American
priest
and prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church. A Conventual Franciscan
, he was appointed the fourteenth Bishop of Savannah
by Pope Benedict XVI
on July 19, 2011. He was consecrated and installed on October 18, 2011.
, New York
, one of four children of John and Sally Hartmayer. He was raised in nearby Tonawanda
, where he received his early education at St. Amelia School. He graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School
in 1969.
, commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, at the St. Joseph Cupertino Friary in Ellicott City
, Maryland
. He took his simple vow
s as a Conventual Franciscan friar on August 15, 1970, before making his solemn profession
on August 15, 1973. He also studied at St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby
, Massachusetts
, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science
degree in philosophy in 1974. From 1974 to 1975, he taught at Archbishop Curley High School
in Baltimore
. He then returned to New York to study theology at St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary
in Rensselaer
, receiving a Master of Theology
degree in 1979.
Hartmayer was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard
on May 5, 1979. He then returned to Archbishop Curley High School
, where he served as a guidance counselor and teacher (1979-1985) and principal (1985-1988). In 1980, he earned a Master of Arts
degree in pastoral counseling from Emmanuel College in Boston
. He served as principal of his alma mater
of Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda from 1988 to 1989, when he became principal of St. Francis High School
in Athol Springs
. He received a Master of Education
degree in Secondary Catholic School Administration from Boston College
in 1992.
Following a three-month sabbatical at St. Patrick Seminary
in Menlo Park
, California
, Hartmayer briefly served as an instructor at John Carroll Catholic High School in Fort Pierce
, Florida
, in 1995. In August of that year, he was named pastor
of St. Philip Benizi Church in Jonesboro
, Georgia
. He became pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Lithia Springs
, in July 2010.
Conventual Franciscans
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
(born November 21, 1951) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
priest
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....
and prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church. A Conventual Franciscan
Conventual Franciscans
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
, he was appointed the fourteenth Bishop of Savannah
Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprising the southern counties of the state of Georgia...
by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on July 19, 2011. He was consecrated and installed on October 18, 2011.
Early life
Gregory John Hartmayer was born in BuffaloBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, one of four children of John and Sally Hartmayer. He was raised in nearby Tonawanda
Tonawanda, New York
Tonawanda may refer to:*Glacial Lake Tonawanda*North Tonawanda, New York, a city in Niagara County, north across Tonawanda Creek from the City and Town*Tonawanda , New York, consisting of the Town of Tonawanda less the Village of Kenmore...
, where he received his early education at St. Amelia School. He graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School
Cardinal O'Hara High School (Tonawanda, New York)
Cardinal O'Hara High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Tonawanda, New York.“This day, after more than two months of daily commuting to Cardinal O’Hara High School in order to attend to endless details of preparing for school opening in September, Fr. Henry, Guardian, and Fr...
in 1969.
Religious life and priesthood
After graduating from high school, Hartmayer joined the Order of Friars Minor ConventualConventual Franciscans
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
, commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, at the St. Joseph Cupertino Friary in Ellicott City
Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The population was 65,834 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Howard County...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. He took his simple vow
Simple vow
In Roman Catholic canon law, a simple vow is any vow, public or private, individual or collective, concerned with an action or with abstaining from an action, if that vow has not been recognized by the Church as a solemn vow....
s as a Conventual Franciscan friar on August 15, 1970, before making his solemn profession
Solemn vow
In Roman Catholic canon law, a solemn vow is a vow that the Church has recognized as such....
on August 15, 1973. He also studied at St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby
Granby, Massachusetts
Granby is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,420 at the 2010 census.It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town is comprised in the census-designated place of Granby....
, 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...
, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in philosophy in 1974. From 1974 to 1975, he taught at Archbishop Curley High School
Archbishop Curley High School
Archbishop Curley High School, is a Roman Catholic men's high school located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore in the USA. It is affiliated with the Franciscan religious order and is named in honor of Archbishop Michael J. Curley , who served as the tenth Archbishop of Baltimore from...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. He then returned to New York to study theology at St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary
St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary
St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary was a Roman Catholic seminary in Rensselaer, New York. It was run by the Franciscans and closed in 1989. It was housed in Beverwyck Manor....
in Rensselaer
Rensselaer, New York
Rensselaer is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the Hudson River directly opposite Albany. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,392; in 1920, it was 10,832. The name is from Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original landowner of the region in New...
, receiving a Master of Theology
Master of Theology
A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
degree in 1979.
Hartmayer 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 Howard J. Hubbard
Howard James Hubbard
Howard James Hubbard, DD is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Bishop of Albany.-Early life and ministry:...
on May 5, 1979. He then returned to Archbishop Curley High School
Archbishop Curley High School
Archbishop Curley High School, is a Roman Catholic men's high school located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore in the USA. It is affiliated with the Franciscan religious order and is named in honor of Archbishop Michael J. Curley , who served as the tenth Archbishop of Baltimore from...
, where he served as a guidance counselor and teacher (1979-1985) and principal (1985-1988). In 1980, he earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in pastoral counseling from Emmanuel College in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He served as principal of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda from 1988 to 1989, when he became principal of St. Francis High School
Saint Francis High School (Athol Springs)
Saint Francis High School is a Catholic, private college preparatory high school for young men in Athol Springs, New York. The school was founded in 1927 by Fr. Justin Figas, OFM Conv...
in Athol Springs
Athol Springs, New York
Athol Springs, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Hamburg in Erie County, New York, USA.-External Links:*...
. He received a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
degree in Secondary Catholic School Administration from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
in 1992.
Following a three-month sabbatical at St. Patrick Seminary
Saint Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park
Saint Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California is a Roman Catholic post-graduate seminary whose primary mission is the formation of clergy for Western and Pacific Rim dioceses, orders, religious congregations and secular institutes...
in Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Hartmayer briefly served as an instructor at John Carroll Catholic High School in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, in 1995. In August of that year, he was named 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. Philip Benizi Church in Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He became pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Lithia Springs
Lithia Springs, Georgia
Lithia Springs is an unincorporated area, formerly incorporated as a city, located in northeastern Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,072. The city is named for its historic Lithia Springs springs.Incorporated in 1882, Lithia...
, in July 2010.