Michael Portier
Encyclopedia
Bishop Michael PortierBishop Michael Portier (b. September 7, 1795, Montbrison
, France
- d. May 14, 1859, Mobile, Alabama
) was a Roman Catholic bishop
and the first
Bishop of Mobile. He immigrated to the United States in 1817.
After completing his studies at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of St. Louis, by Bishop Louis William Valentine Dubourg
, on May 16, 1818. Eight years later, on August 26, 1825, he was consecrated titular Bishop
of Oleno by Bishop Joseph Rosati
, and became the only Vicar Apostolic of the new Vicariate of Alabama and the Floridas.
At the time of his accession he was the only clergyman in the vicariate and had only three parishes, Mobile
, St. Augustine
, and Pensacola
. Bishop Portier began his administration by riding through his vicariate, offering the Holy Eucharist
, preaching, and administering the Sacraments as he went.
He sailed for Europe in 1829, in quest of assistants, and returned with a few seminarians and a priest, Father Mathias Loras
. On May 15, 1829, the vicariate was raised to the Diocese of Mobile, and Bishop Portier was made its first bishop. His cathedral was a little church twenty feet wide by fifty feet deep, his residence a still smaller two-roomed frame structure. A new cathedral was begun in 1837, and on December 8, 1850, Bishop Portier consecrated the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Also in 1850, the eastern portion of Florida was detached from the Diocese of Mobile and annexed to the newly-created Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah
.
In 1830, Bishop Portier established Spring Hill College
, and named Father Mathias Loras its head. Loras served in that role until he was consecrated Bishop of Dubuque
, December 10, 1837, by Bishop Portier, who also consecrated another president of Spring Hill, the Rev. John Stephen Bazin
, third Bishop of Vincennes
on October 24, 1847.
In 1833 he secured from the Visitation convent
, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
, a colony of nuns who established the Visitation Convent
and girls school in Mobile. He brought the Brothers of the Sacred Heart
, from France, about 1847, and the Daughters of Charity
, from Emmitsburg, Maryland
, to manage orphan asylums for boys and girls respectively. One of his last acts was the foundation of a hospital at Mobile, presently known as Providence Hospital
, administered, then and now, by the Daughters of Charity.
He died May 14, 1859, aged 63, and is entombed in the crypt of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile.
Montbrison
Montbrison is the name of several communes of France:* Montbrison, in the Loire département* Montbrison-sur-Lez, in the Drôme département...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- d. May 14, 1859, Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
) was a Roman Catholic bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and the first
Bishop of Mobile. He immigrated to the United States in 1817.
After completing his studies at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of St. Louis, by Bishop Louis William Valentine Dubourg
Louis William Valentine Dubourg
Louis William Valentine Dubourg was a Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church who played an active role in the growth of the church in the early years of the United States. He was born in Cap Français, St...
, on May 16, 1818. Eight years later, on August 26, 1825, he was consecrated titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Oleno by Bishop Joseph Rosati
Joseph Rosati
Joseph Rosati was a U.S. Catholic bishop. He served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis between 1826 and 1843....
, and became the only Vicar Apostolic of the new Vicariate of Alabama and the Floridas.
At the time of his accession he was the only clergyman in the vicariate and had only three parishes, Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, St. Augustine
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
, and Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
. Bishop Portier began his administration by riding through his vicariate, offering the Holy Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, preaching, and administering the Sacraments as he went.
He sailed for Europe in 1829, in quest of assistants, and returned with a few seminarians and a priest, Father Mathias Loras
Mathias Loras
Bishop Mathias Loras was an immigrant French priest to the United States who later became the first bishop of the Dubuque Diocese in what would become the state of Iowa.-Early Life & Ministry:...
. On May 15, 1829, the vicariate was raised to the Diocese of Mobile, and Bishop Portier was made its first bishop. His cathedral was a little church twenty feet wide by fifty feet deep, his residence a still smaller two-roomed frame structure. A new cathedral was begun in 1837, and on December 8, 1850, Bishop Portier consecrated the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Also in 1850, the eastern portion of Florida was detached from the Diocese of Mobile and annexed to the newly-created Roman Catholic Diocese 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...
.
In 1830, Bishop Portier established Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College is a private, Roman Catholic Jesuit liberal arts college in the United States. It was founded in 1830 on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, by Most Rev. Michael Portier, Bishop of Mobile, Alabama...
, and named Father Mathias Loras its head. Loras served in that role until he was consecrated Bishop of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
, December 10, 1837, by Bishop Portier, who also consecrated another president of Spring Hill, the Rev. John Stephen Bazin
John Stephen Bazin
Bishop John Stephen Bazin was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Vincennes . He was born at Duerne, near Lyon, France, October 15, 1796; died at Vincennes, Indiana, U.S.A., April 23, 1848. He was educated in his native country and ordained in Lyon Cathedral, July 22, 1822...
, third Bishop of Vincennes
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a division of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It was originally erected as the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana on May 6, 1834, and encompassed all of Indiana as well as the eastern third of Illinois...
on October 24, 1847.
In 1833 he secured from the Visitation convent
Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary
The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary or the Visitation Order is a Roman Catholic religious order for women. Members of the order are also known as Filles de Sainte-Marie, Visitandines, Salesian Sisters and, more commonly, Visitationists.- History of the order :The Order was founded in 1610 by...
, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
, a colony of nuns who established the Visitation Convent
Convent and Academy of the Visitation
The Convent and Academy of the Visitation, properly known today as the Visitation Monastery, is a historic complex of Roman Catholic religious buildings and a small cemetery in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The buildings and grounds were documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1937...
and girls school in Mobile. He brought the Brothers of the Sacred Heart
Brothers of the Sacred Heart
The Brothers of the Sacred Heart are a Catholic religious congregation founded in 1821 by the Reverend André Coindre . Its Constitutions were modeled upon those of the Jesuits, while its Rule of Life was based upon the Rule of Saint Augustine. Its members bind themselves for life by simple vows of...
, from France, about 1847, and the Daughters of Charity
Daughters of Charity
The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, sometimes simply referred to as Daughters of Charity, is a Society of Apostolic Life for women within the Catholic Church. Its members take simple, private, annual vows...
, from Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
, to manage orphan asylums for boys and girls respectively. One of his last acts was the foundation of a hospital at Mobile, presently known as Providence Hospital
Providence Hospital (Mobile)
Providence Hospital is a 349-bed high-rise hospital in the U.S. city of Mobile, Alabama. The hospital tower was completed in 1987. The building sits at the center of a campus, it rises approximately and 11 stories...
, administered, then and now, by the Daughters of Charity.
He died May 14, 1859, aged 63, and is entombed in the crypt of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile.