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{{Short description|Catholic archbishop}}
{{otherpersons4||the American actor (born 1940)|Peter Gerety}}
{{For|the American actor (born 1940)|Peter Gerety}}
{{Infobox Archbishop
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}}
| honorific-prefix = <small>The Most Reverend<small/>
{{Infobox Christian leader
| name = <br>Peter Leo Gerety
| honorific-prefix = [[His Excellency]], [[The Most Reverend]]
| name = Peter Leo Gerety
| honorific-suffix =
| honorific-suffix =
| archbishop_of = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]]
| archbishop_of = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]]
Line 9: Line 11:
| province =
| province =
| diocese =
| diocese =
| see = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Newark]]
| see = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archdiocese of Newark]]
| appointed = March 25, 1974
| enthroned = June 28, 1974
| enthroned = June 28, 1974
| ended = June 3, 1986
| ended = June 3, 1986
| predecessor = [[Thomas Aloysius Boland]]
| predecessor = [[Thomas Aloysius Boland]]
| successor = [[Theodore Edgar McCarrick]]
| successor = [[Theodore Edgar McCarrick]]
| ordination = June 29, 1939
| ordination = June 29, 1939
| consecration = June 1, 1966
| consecration = June 1, 1966
| consecrated_by = [[Henry Joseph O'Brien]]
| other_post = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Coadjutor Bishop of Portland]] (1966-69)<br>[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]] (1969-74)
| other_post = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Coadjutor Bishop of Portland]] (1966–69)<br/>[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]] (1969–74)
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1912|7|19|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1912|07|19}}
| birthplace = [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]], [[Connecticut]]
| birth_place = [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]], [[Connecticut]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|9|20|1912|7|19}}
| deathplace =
| death_place = [[Totowa, New Jersey]], U.S.
| buried =
| buried =
| nationality =
| nationality =
| religion = [[Roman Catholic Church]]
| religion = [[Roman Catholic Church]]
| motto = {{lang|la|In omnibus Christ}}<br/>(In all circumstances, give thanks){{clarification needed|reason=The Latin says "in all, Christ"|date=October 2024}}
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse =
| children =
| occupation =
| profession =
| alma_mater =
| signature =
}}
}}

'''Peter Leo Gerety''' (born July 19, 1912) is an [[United States|American]] [[prelate]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He was [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]] from 1974 to 1986, having previously served as [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]] (1969-74).<ref name=hierarchy>{{cite news|work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|title=Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgerety.html}}</ref> At age 97, he is currently the oldest living Catholic bishop in the United States.<ref name=miele>{{cite news|date=2009-06-10|work=The Catholic Advocate|title=Archbishop Gerety Marks Seven Decades in Priesthood|url=http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.show&feature_id=1348|last=Miele|first=Ward}}</ref>
{{Ordination
| consecrated by = [[Henry Joseph O'Brien]] ([[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford|Hartford]])
| date of consecration = June 1, 1966
| bishop 1 = [[Edward Cornelius O'Leary]]
| consecration date 1 = January 25, 1971
| bishop 2 = [[Joseph Abel Francis]], [[Divine Word Missionaries|S.V.D.]]
| consecration date 2 = June 25, 1976
| bishop 3 = [[Robert Francis Garner]]
| consecration date 3 = June 25, 1976
| bishop 4 = [[Dominic Anthony Marconi]]
| consecration date 4 = June 25, 1976
| bishop 5 = [[Frank Joseph Rodimer]]
| consecration date 5 = February 28, 1978
| bishop 6 = [[David Arias Pérez]], [[Order of Augustinian Recollects|O.A.R.]]
| consecration date 6 = April 7, 1983
}}
'''Peter Leo Gerety''' (July 19, 1912 – September 20, 2016) was an [[Catholic Church in the United States|American Catholic]] prelate who served as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]] from 1974 to 1986. He previously served as [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]] in Maine from 1969 to 1974. Gerety was the oldest living Catholic bishop in the world at the time of his death at age 104.<ref name=nj>{{cite news|title=Former Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety, world's oldest Catholic bishop, dead at 104|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/former_newark_archbishop_peter_leo_gerety_worlds_o.html|last=Mueller|first=Mark|date=September 21, 2016|access-date=September 21, 2016|work=NJ.com|archive-date=September 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921194133/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/former_newark_archbishop_peter_leo_gerety_worlds_o.html|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Peter Gerety was born in [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]], [[Connecticut]], the oldest of nine sons of Peter Leo and Charlotte Ursula (née Daly) Gerety.<ref name=seton>{{cite news|work=[[Seton Hall University]]|title=Archbishop Gerety Lectures|url=http://www.shu.edu/academics/theology/gerety-lectures.cfm}}</ref> Since there were no local [[Catholic school]]s, he received his early education at [[public school]]s in Shelton, including Commodore Isaac Hull School and the Ferry Street School.<ref name=birthday>{{cite news|date=2007-06-27|work=The Catholic Advocate|title=Happy Birthday Archbishop Gerety Archbishop Reflects on his Ministry|url=http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.show&feature_id=631|last=Miele|first=Ward}}</ref> He graduated from [[Shelton High School (Connecticut)|Shelton High School]] in 1929, and then worked for the [[United States Department of Agriculture|U.S. Department of Agriculture]] and the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] for three years.<ref name=seton/> In 1932, he began his studies for the [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priesthood]] at [http://www.stseminary.org/ St. Thomas Seminary] in [[Bloomfield, Connecticut|Bloomfield]].<ref name=miele/> He was sent to continue his studies at Saint-Sulpice Seminary in [[Issy-les-Moulineaux|Issy]], [[France]], in 1934.<ref name=seton/>
Peter Gerety was born on July 19, 1912, in [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]], [[Connecticut]], the oldest of nine sons of Peter Leo and Charlotte Ursula (née Daly) Gerety.<ref name=seton>{{cite news|work=[[Seton Hall University]]|title=Archbishop Gerety Lectures|url=http://www.shu.edu/academics/theology/gerety-lectures.cfm|access-date=May 24, 2010|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905062921/http://www.shu.edu/academics/theology/gerety-lectures.cfm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since there were no local [[Catholic school]]s, he received his early education at [[public school (government funded)|public school]]s in Shelton, including Commodore Isaac Hull School and the Ferry Street School.<ref name=birthday>{{cite news|date=June 27, 2007|work=The Catholic Advocate|title=Happy Birthday Archbishop Gerety Archbishop Reflects on his Ministry|url=http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.show&feature_id=631|last=Miele|first=Ward|access-date=May 24, 2010|archive-date=November 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102192148/http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.show&feature_id=631|url-status=dead}}</ref> He graduated from [[Shelton High School (Connecticut)|Shelton High School]] in 1929, and then worked for the [[United States Department of Agriculture|U.S. Department of Agriculture]] and the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] for three years.<ref name=seton/>

In 1932, Gerety began his studies for the [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priesthood]] at [[St. Thomas Seminary]] in [[Bloomfield, Connecticut]].<ref name="miele">{{cite news|date=June 10, 2009|work=The Catholic Advocate|title=Archbishop Gerety Marks Seven Decades in Priesthood|url=http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.show&feature_id=1348|last=Miele|first=Ward|access-date=May 24, 2010|archive-date=November 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102191930/http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.show&feature_id=1348|url-status=dead}}</ref> He continue his studies at the [[Saint-Sulpice Seminary (Issy-les-Moulineaux)|Saint-Sulpice Seminary]] in [[Issy-les-Moulineaux|Issy-les-Moulineaux, France]], in 1934.<ref name="seton" />


==Priesthood==
==Priesthood==
On June 29, 1939, Gerety was [[Holy Orders|ordained]] a priest for the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford|Archdiocese of Hartford]] at the [[Notre Dame de Paris|Cathedral of Notre Dame]] in [[Paris]].<ref name=hierarchy/> Following his return to Connecticut, he was assigned as a [[curate]] at St. John the Evangelist Church in [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]].<ref name=birthday/> In addition to his duties at St. John's, he served as a [[chaplain]] at [[Yale – New Haven Hospital|Yale-New Haven Hospital]].<ref name=birthday/> In 1942, he was appointed a curate at [http://staedan-stbrendan-parishes.org/ St. Brendan Church] and director of Blessed Martin de Porres Center, both in New Haven.<ref name=miele/> The center was an interracial social and religious organization that ministered to the [[African American]] Catholic community.<ref name=birthday/> In 1956, the center became [http://www.archdioceseofhartford.org/cgi-bin/history.pl?textdata=218 St. Martin de Porres Church] and Gerety was named its first [[pastor]].<ref name=martin>{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford]]|title=St. Martin de Porres Church|url=http://www.archdioceseofhartford.org/cgi-bin/history.pl?textdata=218}}</ref>
On June 29, 1939, Gerety was [[Holy Orders|ordained]] a priest for the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford|Diocese of Hartford]] at the [[Notre Dame de Paris|Cathedral of Notre Dame]] in [[Paris]].<ref name=hierarchy>{{cite news|work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|title=Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bgerety.html}}{{Self-published source|date=March 2015}}</ref> Following his return to Connecticut, he was assigned as a [[curate]] at St. John the Evangelist Parish in [[New Haven, Connecticut]].<ref name=birthday/> In addition to his duties at St. John's, he served as a [[chaplain]] at [[Yale – New Haven Hospital|Grace-New Haven Hospital]] in New Haven.<ref name="birthday" /> In 1942, Gerety was appointed a curate at St. Brendan Parish and the director of Blessed Martin de Porres Center, both in New Haven.<ref name="miele" /> The center was an interracial social and religious organization that ministered to the [[African American]] Catholic community.<ref name="birthday" /> In 1956, the center became St. Martin de Porres Parrish and Gerety was named its first [[pastor]].<ref name=martin>{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford]]|title=St. Martin de Porres Church|url=http://www.archdioceseofhartford.org/cgi-bin/history.pl?textdata=218|access-date=May 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923173035/http://www.archdioceseofhartford.org/cgi-bin/history.pl?textdata=218|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>


During his tenure at St. Martin's, Gerety became an outspoken advocate for [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)|civil rights]] and supported programs to eliminate poverty.<ref name=portland>{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland]]|title=Most Rev. Peter L. Gerety, D.D.|url=http://www.portlanddiocese.net/info.php?info_id=138}}</ref> In 1963, he was chosen as coordinator and director of the Diocesan Priests' Conference on Interracial Justice.<ref name=portland/>
During his tenure at St. Martin's, Gerety became an outspoken advocate for the [[Civil Rights Movement|American Civil Rights Movement]] and supported programs to eliminate poverty.<ref name=portland>{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland]]|title=Most Rev. Peter L. Gerety, D.D.|url=http://www.portlanddiocese.net/info.php?info_id=138}}</ref> In 1963, he was chosen as coordinator and director of the Diocesan Priests' Conference on Interracial Justice.<ref name=portland/>


==Episcopacy==
==Episcopacy==
===Portland===
On March 4, 1966, Gerety was appointed [[coadjutor bishop]] of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Diocese of Portland]] in [[Maine]] and [[titular bishop]] of ''Crepedula'' by [[Pope Paul VI]].<ref name=hierarchy/> He received his [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|episcopal]] [[consecration]] on the following June 1 from Archbishop [[Henry Joseph O'Brien]], with Bishops [[Daniel Joseph Feeney]] and [[John Francis Hackett]] serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]], at the [[Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford|Cathedral of St. Joseph]] in Hartford.<ref name=hierarchy/> 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.<ref name=portland/>


===Bishop of Portland===
Upon the death of Bishop Feeney on September 15, 1969, Gerety succeeded him as the eighth [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]].<ref name=hierarchy/> During his tenure in Portland, he implemented the reforms of the [[Second Vatican Council]] by modernizing the [[Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Portland, Maine)|Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception]], giving it a more modern appearance by removing the high [[altar]], [[cathedra]], [[pulpit]], and [[Altar rails|communion rail]].<ref name=portland/> He also provided housing for the elderly and expanded the Diocesan Bureau of Human Relations.<ref name=portland/>
On March 4, 1966, Gerety was appointed [[coadjutor bishop]] of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Diocese of Portland]] and [[titular bishop]] of ''Crepedula'' by [[Pope Paul VI]].<ref name=hierarchy/> He received his [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|episcopal]] [[consecration]] on June 1, 1966, from [[Henry Joseph O'Brien|Archbishop Henry O'Brien]], with [[Daniel Joseph Feeney|Bishop Daniel Feeney]] and [[John Francis Hackett|Bishop John Hackett]] serving as [[Consecrator|co-consecrators]], at the [[Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford|Cathedral of St. Joseph]] in Hartford.<ref name=hierarchy/>


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.<ref name="portland" /> Upon the death of Bishop Feeney on September 15, 1969, Gerety succeeded him as the eighth [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]].<ref name=hierarchy/>
In 1969, Gerety led an unsuccessful campaign against a bill in the [[Maine Legislature|state legislature]] to legalize [[abortion]]s under certain circumstances.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news|date=1974-04-03|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Archbishop Boland to Retire; Newark Post Going to Gerety|last=Blau|first=Eleanor}}</ref> That same year, he called on Maine food retailers to stop selling California grapes in support of the farm workers' dispute with growers.<ref name=nytimes/> 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.<ref name=nytimes/> He also defended the rights of [[conscientious objector]]s during the [[Vietnam War]] and appealed to the [[United States congressional delegations from Maine|Maine congressional delegation]] to modify the [[Selective Service Act]].<ref name=nytimes/>


During his tenure in Portland, he implemented what were perceived to be the liturgical reforms of the [[Second Vatican Council]] by modernizing the [[Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Portland, Maine)|Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception]], through the removal of the high [[altar]], [[cathedra]], [[pulpit]], and [[Altar rails|communion rail]].<ref name="portland" /> He also provided housing for the elderly and expanded the Diocesan Bureau of Human Relations.<ref name="portland" />
===Newark===
Following the retirement of Archbishop [[Thomas Aloysius Boland]], Gerety was appointed the third [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]], [[New Jersey]], on April 2, 1974.<ref name=hierarchy/> His installation took place at the [[Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey|Cathedral of the Sacred Heart]] on June 28 of that year.<ref name=hierarchy/> He was the first Archbishop of Newark to actually live in the city of [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]]; his predecessors lived in the [[Llewellyn Park]] section of [[West Orange, New Jersey|West Orange]].<ref name=cook>{{cite news|date=1974-06-27|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=New Archbishop Is Settling In at Newark|last=Cook|first=Joan}}</ref>


In 1969, Gerety led a campaign against a bill in the [[Maine Legislature|state legislature]] to legalize [[abortion]]s<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|date=April 3, 1974|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Archbishop Boland to Retire; Newark Post Going to Gerety|last=Blau|first=Eleanor}}</ref> That same year, he called on Maine food retailers to stop selling California grapes, in support of the [[United Farm Workers]]' dispute with growers.<ref name="nytimes" /> Gerety was one of 14 bishops in [[New England]] to sign a statement in 1973 endorsing a boycott of California-grown lettuce in a similar dispute.<ref name="nytimes" /> He also defended the rights of [[conscientious objector]]s during the [[Vietnam War]] and appealed to the [[United States congressional delegations from Maine|Maine congressional delegation]] to modify the [[Selective Service Act of 1948|Selective Service Act]].<ref name="nytimes" />
During his 12-year tenure in Newark, Gerety created the Office of Pastoral Renewal and began a ministry to divorced Catholics.<ref name=newark>{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark]]|title=Most Reverend Peter L. Gerety, D.D.|url=http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=116}}</ref> He established the Archbishop's Annual Appeal in 1975, and supported the [[Catholic Charismatic Renewal|charismatic]] and [[Catholic Church and ecumenism|ecumenical]] movements.<ref name=newark/> He also established the Archbishop Gerety Fund for Ecclesiastical History to advance studies in ecclesiastical history, especially the [[History of Roman Catholicism in the United States|history of Catholicism in the United States]].<ref name=seton/>


===Archbishop of Newark===
In 1976, Gerety sent a letter to the [[1976 Democratic National Convention|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."<ref name=newark/> That same year, he testified before the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] on "U.S. Foreign Policy: A Critique from Catholic Tradition," and in 1977, he represented the [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops|United States Catholic Conference]] before the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means|House Ways and Means Committee]] to offer his view on [[President of the United States|President]] [[Jimmy Carter]]'s "Better Jobs and Income" proposal.<ref name=miele/>
Following the retirement of [[Thomas Aloysius Boland|Archbishop Thomas Boland]], Gerety was appointed the third [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]], [[New Jersey]], on April 2, 1974.<ref name="hierarchy" /> His installation took place at the [[Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey|Cathedral of the Sacred Heart]] on June 28 of that year.<ref name="hierarchy" /> While his predecessor lived in the [[Llewellyn Park]] section of [[West Orange, New Jersey|West Orange]], Gerety took up residence in Nawark.<ref name="cook">{{cite news|date=June 27, 1974|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=New Archbishop Is Settling In at Newark|last=Cook|first=Joan}}</ref>


During his 12-year tenure in Newark, Gerety created the Office of Pastoral Renewal and began a ministry to divorced Catholics.<ref name="newark">{{cite news|work=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark]]|title=Most Reverend Peter L. Gerety, D.D.|url=http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=116|access-date=May 25, 2010|archive-date=November 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102192015/http://www.rcan.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=116|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Office of Pastoral Renewal evolved into RENEW International, an organization now based in [[Plainfield, New Jersey]], that provides resources for small Christian communities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and South Africa. Gerety established the Archbishop's Annual Appeal in 1975, and supported the [[Catholic Charismatic Renewal|charismatic]] and [[Catholic Church and ecumenism|ecumenical]] movements.<ref name="newark" /> He also established the Archbishop Gerety Fund for Ecclesiastical History to advance studies in ecclesiastical history, especially the [[History of Roman Catholicism in the United States|history of Catholicism in the United States]].<ref name="seton" />


In 1976, Gerety sent a letter to the [[1976 Democratic National Convention|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."<ref name=newark/> That same year, he testified before the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]] on "U.S. Foreign Policy: A Critique from Catholic Tradition," and in 1977 he represented the [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops|United States Catholic Conference]] before the [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means|House Ways and Means Committee]] to offer his view on [[President of the United States|President]] [[Jimmy Carter]]'s "Better Jobs and Income" proposal.<ref name=miele/>
{{start box}}

{{succession box |
A year prior to his resignation, the Archbishop addressed the charismatic covenant community known as the People of Hope, a branch of the Sword of the Spirit. In 1984, the Archbishop had asked People of Hope to submit statutes to bring them into a canonical relationship with the Archdiocese. The community responded positively. On December 8, 1985, Gerety addressed the People of Hope at length, informing them of the process they would be involved in over the next year to bring them into compliance with his expectations of a 'Catholic' organization, approved by the Archdiocese. The People of Hope however claimed they were not subject to his authority as they were members of the Sword of the Spirit, an umbrella organization of Covenant Communities out of Ann Arbor, MI. Robert Gallic, a 'coordinator' for the People of Hope, withdrew the 1984 statutes. Gerety's retirement in 1986 was viewed by many of us in the Sword of the Spirit as a victory. See the collection of official correspondence between the Archbishop, his delegate, the People of Hope and the Sword of the Spirit at https://www.scribd.com/document/76728560 <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scribd.com/document/76728560 | title=People of Hope - A Branch of the SOS - and It's Troubles &#124; PDF | access-date=August 20, 2022 | archive-date=October 1, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001041143/https://www.scribd.com/document/76728560/People-of-Hope-a-Branch-of-the-SOS-And-It-s-Troubles | url-status=live }}</ref>
before = [[Marion Francis Forst]] |

title = Oldest Living American Roman Catholic Bishop |
==Later life==
years = June 2, 2007 - |
Gerety submitted his letter of resignation as Archbishop of Newark to Pope John Paul II on June 3, 1986.<ref name=hierarchy/> At that time, he declared, <blockquote>"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."<ref name="birthday" /> </blockquote>He was succeeded by then [[Theodore Edgar McCarrick|Bishop Theodore McCarrick]].<ref name="mccarrick">{{cite news|work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org|title=Theodore Edgar Cardinal McCarrick|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmccar.html|access-date=May 25, 2010|archive-date=August 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815214825/http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmccar.html|url-status=live}}{{Self-published source|date=March 2015}}</ref> Gerety died in [[Totowa, New Jersey]], on September 20, 2016, aged 104, and was the world's oldest living Catholic bishop at the time.<ref name="nj" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/worlds-oldest-catholic-bishop-dies-age-104-jersey-173223492.html |title=World's Oldest Catholic Bishop Dies Age 104 |agency=[[Reuters]] |date=September 21, 2016 |publisher=[[Yahoo.com]] |access-date=September 24, 2016 |archive-date=September 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922203902/https://www.yahoo.com/news/worlds-oldest-catholic-bishop-dies-age-104-jersey-173223492.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
after = Incumbent

}}
== Legacy ==
{{end box}}
On May 11, 2013, the Archdiocese of Newark settled two lawsuits by men who were abused as children by Carmen Sita, a priest at St. Aloysius Parish in [[Jersey City, New Jersey]] Five men were abused in the 1970s by Sita, who in 1982 pleaded guilty to sexual assault. Gerety then allowed Sita to legally change his name to Gerald Howard and move to Missouri. Gerety never notified the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City|Diocese of Jefferson City]] about Sita's name change or his conviction. Sita then abused at least three more children in Missouri. The Archdiocese of Newark agreed to pay $650,000 to the five New Jersey victims and $225,000 to one Missouri victim.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-05-11 |title=Newark archdiocese pays victims of priest allowed to change name |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/05/11/Newark-archdiocese-pays-victims-of-priest-allowed-to-change-name/22871368250560/ |access-date=2021-12-29 |work=UPI |language=en |archive-date=December 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229200241/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/05/11/Newark-archdiocese-pays-victims-of-priest-allowed-to-change-name/22871368250560/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mueller |first=Mark |date=2013-05-10 |title=Newark Archdiocese pays $650K to settle sex abuse claims against former N.J. priest |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2013/05/newark_archdiocese_pays_650000.html |access-date=2021-12-29 |work=nj.com |language=en |archive-date=October 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001041142/https://www.nj.com/news/2013/05/newark_archdiocese_pays_650000.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On May 11, 2021, a woman filed a $50 million lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Newark. The plaintiff claimed that Gerety had [[Sexual abuse|sexually abused]] her starting in 1976 three or four times when she was five years old. Gerety had been bringing extra food to the family and babysitting the young girl. The New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program had investigated her claims, but did not find them credible. The program had offered her a $5,000 settlement, which she rejected.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Heyboer |first=Kelly |date=2021-05-11 |title=Former Newark Archbishop sexually abused 5-year-old in church rectory, lawsuit claims |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2021/05/former-newark-archbishop-sexually-abused-5-year-old-in-church-rectory-lawsuit-claims.html |access-date=2021-12-29 |work=nj.com |language=en |archive-date=December 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229200241/https://www.nj.com/news/2021/05/former-newark-archbishop-sexually-abused-5-year-old-in-church-rectory-lawsuit-claims.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Lawsuit: Former Newark archbishop abused 5-year-old girl |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/religion/lawsuit-former-newark-archbishop-abused-5-year-old-girl/article_243e75fe-cf57-5401-9639-be44752d2939.html |access-date=2021-12-29 |work=The Philadelphia Tribune |language=en |archive-date=December 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229200243/https://www.phillytrib.com/religion/lawsuit-former-newark-archbishop-abused-5-year-old-girl/article_243e75fe-cf57-5401-9639-be44752d2939.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Daniel Joseph Feeney]]}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Diocese of Portland|Bishop of Portland]]|years = 1969 - 1974}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Edward Cornelius O'Leary]]}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Thomas Aloysius Boland]]}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Archdiocese of Newark|Archbishop of Newark]]|years = 1974 - 1986}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Theodore Edgar McCarrick]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark}}
{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland}}
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerety, Peter Leo}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerety, Peter Leo}}
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:St. Thomas Seminary alumni]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholic archbishops]]
[[Category:Seminary of Saint-Sulpice (France) alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Portland]]
[[Category:People from Fairfield County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Newark]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholic clergy of Irish descent]]

[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United States]]
[[da:Peter Leo Gerety]]
[[Category:People from Shelton, Connecticut]]
[[de:Peter Leo Gerety]]
[[Category:American men centenarians]]
[[pl:Peter Leo Gerety]]
[[Category:Catholics from Connecticut]]
[[fi:Peter Leo Gerety]]
[[Category:Catholics from New Jersey]]

Latest revision as of 04:38, 22 November 2024

For the American actor (born 1940), see Peter Gerety.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Peter Leo Gerety
Archbishop of Newark
SeeArchdiocese of Newark
AppointedMarch 25, 1974
InstalledJune 28, 1974
Term endedJune 3, 1986
PredecessorThomas Aloysius Boland
SuccessorTheodore Edgar McCarrick
Other post(s)Coadjutor Bishop of Portland (1966–69)
Bishop of Portland (1969–74)
Orders
OrdinationJune 29, 1939
ConsecrationJune 1, 1966
by Henry Joseph O'Brien
Personal details
Born(1912-07-19)July 19, 1912
Shelton, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedSeptember 20, 2016(2016-09-20) (aged 104)
Totowa, New Jersey, U.S.
DenominationRoman Catholic Church
MottoIn omnibus Christ
(In all circumstances, give thanks)[clarification needed]
Ordination history of
Peter Leo Gerety
History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byHenry Joseph O'Brien (Hartford)
DateJune 1, 1966
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Peter Leo Gerety as principal consecrator
Edward Cornelius O'LearyJanuary 25, 1971
Joseph Abel Francis, S.V.D.June 25, 1976
Robert Francis GarnerJune 25, 1976
Dominic Anthony MarconiJune 25, 1976
Frank Joseph RodimerFebruary 28, 1978
David Arias Pérez, O.A.R.April 7, 1983

Peter Leo Gerety (July 19, 1912 – September 20, 2016) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Newark from 1974 to 1986. He previously served as Bishop of Portland in Maine from 1969 to 1974. Gerety was the oldest living Catholic bishop in the world at the time of his death at age 104.[1]

Early life and education

[edit]

Peter Gerety was born on July 19, 1912, in Shelton, Connecticut, the oldest of nine sons of Peter Leo and Charlotte Ursula (née Daly) Gerety.[2] Since there were no local Catholic schools, he received his early education at public schools in Shelton, including Commodore Isaac Hull School and the Ferry Street School.[3] 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.[2]

In 1932, Gerety began his studies for the priesthood at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut.[4] He continue his studies at the Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, in 1934.[2]

Priesthood

[edit]

On June 29, 1939, Gerety was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.[5] Following his return to Connecticut, he was assigned as a curate at St. John the Evangelist Parish in New Haven, Connecticut.[3] In addition to his duties at St. John's, he served as a chaplain at Grace-New Haven Hospital in New Haven.[3] In 1942, Gerety was appointed a curate at St. Brendan Parish and the director of Blessed Martin de Porres Center, both in New Haven.[4] The center was an interracial social and religious organization that ministered to the African American Catholic community.[3] In 1956, the center became St. Martin de Porres Parrish and Gerety was named its first pastor.[6]

During his tenure at St. Martin's, Gerety became an outspoken advocate for the American Civil Rights Movement and supported programs to eliminate poverty.[7] In 1963, he was chosen as coordinator and director of the Diocesan Priests' Conference on Interracial Justice.[7]

Episcopacy

[edit]

Bishop of Portland

[edit]

On March 4, 1966, Gerety was appointed coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Portland and titular bishop of Crepedula by Pope Paul VI.[5] He received his episcopal consecration on June 1, 1966, from Archbishop Henry O'Brien, with Bishop Daniel Feeney and Bishop John Hackett serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford.[5]

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.[7] Upon the death of Bishop Feeney on September 15, 1969, Gerety succeeded him as the eighth Bishop of Portland.[5]

During his tenure in Portland, he implemented what were perceived to be the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council by modernizing the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, through the removal of the high altar, cathedra, pulpit, and communion rail.[7] He also provided housing for the elderly and expanded the Diocesan Bureau of Human Relations.[7]

In 1969, Gerety led a campaign against a bill in the state legislature to legalize abortions[8] That same year, he called on Maine food retailers to stop selling California grapes, in support of the United Farm Workers' dispute with growers.[8] Gerety was one of 14 bishops in New England to sign a statement in 1973 endorsing a boycott of California-grown lettuce in a similar dispute.[8] He also defended the rights of conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War and appealed to the Maine congressional delegation to modify the Selective Service Act.[8]

Archbishop of Newark

[edit]

Following the retirement of Archbishop Thomas Boland, Gerety was appointed the third Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, on April 2, 1974.[5] His installation took place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on June 28 of that year.[5] While his predecessor lived in the Llewellyn Park section of West Orange, Gerety took up residence in Nawark.[9]

During his 12-year tenure in Newark, Gerety created the Office of Pastoral Renewal and began a ministry to divorced Catholics.[10] The Office of Pastoral Renewal evolved into RENEW International, an organization now based in Plainfield, New Jersey, that provides resources for small Christian communities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and South Africa. Gerety established the Archbishop's Annual Appeal in 1975, and supported the charismatic and ecumenical movements.[10] 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.[2]

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."[10] 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.[4]

A year prior to his resignation, the Archbishop addressed the charismatic covenant community known as the People of Hope, a branch of the Sword of the Spirit. In 1984, the Archbishop had asked People of Hope to submit statutes to bring them into a canonical relationship with the Archdiocese. The community responded positively. On December 8, 1985, Gerety addressed the People of Hope at length, informing them of the process they would be involved in over the next year to bring them into compliance with his expectations of a 'Catholic' organization, approved by the Archdiocese. The People of Hope however claimed they were not subject to his authority as they were members of the Sword of the Spirit, an umbrella organization of Covenant Communities out of Ann Arbor, MI. Robert Gallic, a 'coordinator' for the People of Hope, withdrew the 1984 statutes. Gerety's retirement in 1986 was viewed by many of us in the Sword of the Spirit as a victory. See the collection of official correspondence between the Archbishop, his delegate, the People of Hope and the Sword of the Spirit at https://www.scribd.com/document/76728560 [11]

Later life

[edit]

Gerety submitted his letter of resignation as Archbishop of Newark to Pope John Paul II on June 3, 1986.[5] 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."[3]

He was succeeded by then Bishop Theodore McCarrick.[12] Gerety died in Totowa, New Jersey, on September 20, 2016, aged 104, and was the world's oldest living Catholic bishop at the time.[1][13]

Legacy

[edit]

On May 11, 2013, the Archdiocese of Newark settled two lawsuits by men who were abused as children by Carmen Sita, a priest at St. Aloysius Parish in Jersey City, New Jersey Five men were abused in the 1970s by Sita, who in 1982 pleaded guilty to sexual assault. Gerety then allowed Sita to legally change his name to Gerald Howard and move to Missouri. Gerety never notified the Diocese of Jefferson City about Sita's name change or his conviction. Sita then abused at least three more children in Missouri. The Archdiocese of Newark agreed to pay $650,000 to the five New Jersey victims and $225,000 to one Missouri victim.[14][15]

On May 11, 2021, a woman filed a $50 million lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Newark. The plaintiff claimed that Gerety had sexually abused her starting in 1976 three or four times when she was five years old. Gerety had been bringing extra food to the family and babysitting the young girl. The New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program had investigated her claims, but did not find them credible. The program had offered her a $5,000 settlement, which she rejected.[16][17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Mueller, Mark (September 21, 2016). "Former Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety, world's oldest Catholic bishop, dead at 104". NJ.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "Archbishop Gerety Lectures". Seton Hall University. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e Miele, Ward (June 27, 2007). "Happy Birthday Archbishop Gerety Archbishop Reflects on his Ministry". The Catholic Advocate. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c Miele, Ward (June 10, 2009). "Archbishop Gerety Marks Seven Decades in Priesthood". The Catholic Advocate. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
  6. ^ "St. Martin de Porres Church". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Most Rev. Peter L. Gerety, D.D." Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.
  8. ^ a b c d Blau, Eleanor (April 3, 1974). "Archbishop Boland to Retire; Newark Post Going to Gerety". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Cook, Joan (June 27, 1974). "New Archbishop Is Settling In at Newark". The New York Times.
  10. ^ a b c "Most Reverend Peter L. Gerety, D.D." Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  11. ^ "People of Hope - A Branch of the SOS - and It's Troubles | PDF". Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  12. ^ "Theodore Edgar Cardinal McCarrick". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2010.[self-published source]
  13. ^ "World's Oldest Catholic Bishop Dies Age 104". Yahoo.com. Reuters. September 21, 2016. Archived from the original on September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  14. ^ "Newark archdiocese pays victims of priest allowed to change name". UPI. May 11, 2013. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  15. ^ Mueller, Mark (May 10, 2013). "Newark Archdiocese pays $650K to settle sex abuse claims against former N.J. priest". nj.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  16. ^ Heyboer, Kelly (May 11, 2021). "Former Newark Archbishop sexually abused 5-year-old in church rectory, lawsuit claims". nj.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Lawsuit: Former Newark archbishop abused 5-year-old girl". The Philadelphia Tribune. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Portland
1969 - 1974 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Archbishop of Newark
1974 - 1986 		Succeeded by
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