Peter Leo Gerety
Encyclopedia
Peter Leo Gerety is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He was Archbishop of Newark
from 1974 to 1986, having previously served as Bishop of Portland
(1969–74). At age 99, he is currently the oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States.
, Connecticut
, the oldest of nine sons of Peter Leo and Charlotte Ursula (née Daly) Gerety. Since there were no local Catholic school
s, he received his early education at public schools in Shelton, including Commodore Isaac Hull School and the Ferry Street School. He graduated from Shelton High School
in 1929, and then worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the New Jersey Department of Transportation
for three years. In 1932, he began his studies for the priesthood
at St. Thomas Seminary
in Bloomfield
. He was sent to continue his studies at Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Issy
, France
, in 1934.
a priest for the Archdiocese of Hartford
at the Cathedral of Notre Dame
in Paris
. Following his return to Connecticut, he was assigned as a curate
at St. John the Evangelist Church in New Haven
. In addition to his duties at St. John's, he served as a chaplain
at Yale-New Haven Hospital. In 1942, he was appointed a curate at St. Brendan Church and director of Blessed Martin de Porres Center, both in New Haven. The center was an interracial social and religious organization that ministered to the African American
Catholic community. In 1956, the center became St. Martin de Porres Church and Gerety was named its first pastor
.
During his tenure at St. Martin's, Gerety became an outspoken advocate for civil rights and supported programs to eliminate poverty. In 1963, he was chosen as coordinator and director of the Diocesan Priests' Conference on Interracial Justice.
of the Diocese of Portland
in Maine
and titular bishop
of Crepedula by Pope Paul VI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following June 1 from Archbishop Henry Joseph O'Brien
, with Bishops Daniel Joseph Feeney
and John Francis Hackett
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. Due to the failing health of Bishop Feeney, Gerety became apostolic administrator
of the diocese on February 18, 1967, assuming responsibility for the daily activities of the diocese.
Upon the death of Bishop Feeney on September 15, 1969, Gerety succeeded him as the eighth Bishop of Portland
. During his tenure in Portland, he implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council
by modernizing the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
, giving it a more modern appearance by removing the high altar
, cathedra
, pulpit
, and communion rail
. He also provided housing for the elderly and expanded the Diocesan Bureau of Human Relations.
In 1969, Gerety led an unsuccessful campaign against a bill in the state legislature
to legalize abortion
s under certain circumstances. That same year, he called on Maine food retailers to stop selling California grapes in support of the farm workers' dispute with growers. He was one of 14 bishops in New England
to sign a statement in 1973 endorsing a boycott of California-grown lettuce in similar dispute. He also defended the rights of conscientious objector
s during the Vietnam War
and appealed to the Maine congressional delegation
to modify the Selective Service Act
.
, Gerety was appointed the third Archbishop of Newark
, New Jersey
, on April 2, 1974. His installation took place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
on June 28 of that year. He was the first Archbishop of Newark to actually live in the city of Newark
; his predecessors lived in the Llewellyn Park
section of West Orange
.
During his 12-year tenure in Newark, Gerety created the Office of Pastoral Renewal and began a ministry to divorced Catholics. He established the Archbishop's Annual Appeal in 1975, and supported the charismatic
and ecumenical
movements. He also established the Archbishop Gerety Fund for Ecclesiastical History to advance studies in ecclesiastical history, especially the history of Catholicism in the United States
.
In 1976, Gerety sent a letter to the Democratic National Convention
to protest the party's platform on abortion
, which he described as "the bloody horror of the callous elimination of hundreds of thousands of God's most defenseless little ones, our own flesh and blood." That same year, he testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
on "U.S. Foreign Policy: A Critique from Catholic Tradition," and in 1977, he represented the United States Catholic Conference
before the House Ways and Means Committee
to offer his view on President
Jimmy Carter
's "Better Jobs and Income" proposal.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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
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...
. He was Archbishop of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
from 1974 to 1986, having previously served as Bishop of Portland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine...
(1969–74). At age 99, he is currently the oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States.
Early life and education
Peter Gerety was born in SheltonShelton, Connecticut
Shelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, the oldest of nine sons of Peter Leo and Charlotte Ursula (née Daly) Gerety. Since there were no local Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
s, he received his early education at public schools in Shelton, including Commodore Isaac Hull School and the Ferry Street School. He graduated from Shelton High School
Shelton High School (Connecticut)
Shelton High School is a public high school in Shelton, Connecticut. The school is located in eastern Fairfield County, Connecticut. It has a student body of approximately 1700 from grades 9 through 12. Other nearby High Schools are Trumbull High School & St...
in 1929, and then worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
and the New Jersey Department of Transportation
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
for three years. In 1932, he began his studies for 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....
at St. Thomas Seminary
St. Thomas Seminary
St. Thomas Seminary, located in Bloomfield, Connecticut, was a minor seminary for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford. The current rector is the Rev. Msgr. Gerard G. Schmitz.-History:...
in Bloomfield
Bloomfield, Connecticut
Bloomfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,626 at the 2009 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.2 square miles is water.Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the...
. He was sent to continue his studies at Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Issy
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. On 1 January 2003, Issy-les-Moulineaux became part of the Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine along with the other communes of Chaville, Meudon, Vanves and Ville-d'Avray...
, 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...
, in 1934.
Priesthood
On June 29, 1939, Gerety was ordainedHoly 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....
a priest for the Archdiocese of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
at the Cathedral of Notre Dame
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Following his return to Connecticut, he was assigned as 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...
at St. John the Evangelist Church in New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. In addition to his duties at St. John's, he served as a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at Yale-New Haven Hospital. In 1942, he was appointed a curate at St. Brendan Church and director of Blessed Martin de Porres Center, both in New Haven. The center was an interracial social and religious organization that ministered to the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Catholic community. In 1956, the center became St. Martin de Porres Church and Gerety was named its first 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"....
.
During his tenure at St. Martin's, Gerety became an outspoken advocate for civil rights and supported programs to eliminate poverty. In 1963, he was chosen as coordinator and director of the Diocesan Priests' Conference on Interracial Justice.
Portland
On March 4, 1966, Gerety was appointed coadjutor bishopCoadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of the Diocese of Portland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine...
in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and 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 Crepedula by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. He received his episcopal
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....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following June 1 from Archbishop Henry Joseph O'Brien
Henry Joseph O'Brien
Henry Joseph O'Brien was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Hartford from 1945 to 1968.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Daniel Joseph Feeney
Daniel Joseph Feeney
Daniel Joseph Feeney was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Portland from 1955 until his death.-Biography:...
and John Francis Hackett
John Francis Hackett
John Francis Hackett was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford from 1953 to 1986.-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...
, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. Due to the failing health of Bishop Feeney, Gerety became apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the diocese on February 18, 1967, assuming responsibility for the daily activities of the diocese.
Upon the death of Bishop Feeney on September 15, 1969, Gerety succeeded him as the eighth Bishop of Portland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine...
. During his tenure in Portland, he implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
by modernizing the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Portland, Maine)
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is an historic cathedral on Cumberland Avenue and Congress Streets in Portland, Maine. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. The Cathedral’s Pastor is Bishop Richard Malone, and its Rector is Father Louis Phillips.Construction began in...
, giving it a more modern appearance by removing the high altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
, cathedra
Cathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
, pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
, and communion rail
Altar rails
Altar rails are a set of railings, sometimes ornate and frequently of marble or wood, delimiting the chancel in a church, the part of the sanctuary that contains the altar. A gate at the centre divides the line into two parts. The sanctuary is a figure of heaven, into which entry is not guaranteed...
. He also provided housing for the elderly and expanded the Diocesan Bureau of Human Relations.
In 1969, Gerety led an unsuccessful campaign against a bill in the state legislature
Maine Legislature
The Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate...
to legalize abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s under certain circumstances. That same year, he called on Maine food retailers to stop selling California grapes in support of the farm workers' dispute with growers. He was one of 14 bishops in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
to sign a statement in 1973 endorsing a boycott of California-grown lettuce in similar dispute. He also defended the rights of conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
s during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and appealed to the Maine congressional delegation
United States Congressional Delegations from Maine
These are tables of congressional delegations from Maine to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. Maine became a state on March 15, 1820.-United States Senate:-House of Representatives:-List of representatives:...
to modify the Selective Service Act
Selective Service Act
Selective Service Act may refer to:* Selective Service Act of 1917, or Selective Draft Act, which was passed by the Congress of the United States on May 18, 1917. It was for men to go to WWI at a young age....
.
Newark
Following the retirement of Archbishop Thomas Aloysius BolandThomas Aloysius Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Newark from 1952 to 1974, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Bishop of Paterson .-Early life and education:Thomas Boland was born in Orange, New Jersey, to John Peter and...
, Gerety was appointed the third Archbishop of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, on April 2, 1974. His installation took place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest cathedral in North America, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is located at 89 Ridge Street in Newark, New Jersey. Envisioned as a "fitting monument to the faith," construction began in 1899 and was finished in...
on June 28 of that year. He was the first Archbishop of Newark to actually live in the city of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
; his predecessors lived in the Llewellyn Park
Llewellyn Park
Llewellyn Park is a gated residential community of 175 homes within West Orange, New Jersey. Llewellyn Park does not have its own municipal government, but operates as part of the Township of West Orange. It is located just west of New York City....
section of West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
.
During his 12-year tenure in Newark, Gerety created the Office of Pastoral Renewal and began a ministry to divorced Catholics. He established the Archbishop's Annual Appeal in 1975, and supported the charismatic
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church. Worship is characterized by vibrant Masses, as well as prayer meetings featuring prophecy, healing and "praying in tongues." This movement is based on the belief that certain charismata , bestowed by the Holy Spirit, such as...
and ecumenical
Catholic Church and ecumenism
The Catholic Church has been heavily involved in the ecumenical movement since the Second Vatican Council .- Before the Second Vatican Council :...
movements. He also established the Archbishop Gerety Fund for Ecclesiastical History to advance studies in ecclesiastical history, especially the history of Catholicism in the United States
History of Roman Catholicism in the United States
Catholicism first came to the territories now forming the United States with the Spanish explorers and settlers in present-day Florida , Georgia , and the southwest...
.
In 1976, Gerety sent a letter to the Democratic National Convention
1976 Democratic National Convention
The 1976 Democratic National Convention met at Madison Square Garden in New York City, from July 12 to July 15, 1976. The assembled United States Democratic Party delegates at the convention nominated Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for President and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota for Vice...
to protest the party's platform on abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, which he described as "the bloody horror of the callous elimination of hundreds of thousands of God's most defenseless little ones, our own flesh and blood." That same year, he testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
on "U.S. Foreign Policy: A Critique from Catholic Tradition," and in 1977, he represented the United States Catholic Conference
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
before the House Ways and Means Committee
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
to offer his view on President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
's "Better Jobs and Income" proposal.
Later life
Gerety resigned as Archbishop of Newark on June 3, 1986. At that time, he declared, "It is well known that a bishop must resign at the age of 75. I will be 74 years old next month and I told the Holy Father in my letter of resignation that for the good of God's Church and for my own peace of mind, I believe it is time of a younger man to take over the reins of office here in Newark. I have done my best and I am very happy now to step aside." He was succeeded by Bishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick, then serving as Bishop of MetuchenRoman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen is a Roman Catholic diocese in New Jersey, centered in the borough of Metuchen. It was erected on November 19, 1981, from the territory of the Diocese of Trenton....
.