Richard Oliver Gerow
Encyclopedia
Richard Oliver Gerow was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Natchez-Jackson
from 1924 to 1967.
, Alabama
, one of two children of Warren Rosencranz and Annie A. (née Skehan) Gerow. His father, a native of Mobile and convert to Catholicism
, built floats for Mardi Gras
for the Order of Myths
. His mother was born in North Tipperary
, Ireland
, and immigrated to the United States
with her family in 1863. Following his father's death in 1894, his mother supported the family by renting out small cottages and establishing a dressmaking business.
Gerow was educated by a private tutor before attending Cathedral Grammar School in Mobile. He then attended McGill Institute
from 1897 until 1901, when he enrolled at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg
, Maryland
. He graduated from Mount St. Mary's in 1904 with a Bachelor of Arts
degree, and then began his studies for the priesthood
at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
. Among his fellow seminarians at the North American College were Edward Mooney, James Hugh Ryan
, and Thomas Edmund Molloy
. He earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology
degree in 1909.
a priest by Cardinal Pietro Respighi
at the Basilica of St. John Lateran
. He celebrated his first Mass
in the catacombs of Rome
. Following his return to the United States, he was assigned as temporary administrator of St. Joseph's Church in Pensacola
, Florida
, where he remained for one month. He then returned to Mobile, where he served as a curate
at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and pro-chancellor
of the Diocese of Mobile
. He later served as chancellor of the diocese until 1920, when he became rector
of the cathedral.
, Mississippi
, by Pope Pius XI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following October 15 from Bishop Edward Patrick Allen
, with Bishops Jules Jeanmard
and James Aloysius Griffin
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His installation took place at St. Mary's Cathedral on November 12 of that year. He was named an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
by Pope Pius XII
on October 3, 1949.
During his 43-year tenure, Gerow oversaw an extensive renovation of St. Mary's Cathedral, held biannual clerical conferences, and worked to established Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
programs in every parish of the diocese. He moved the episcopal see
of the diocese to Jackson
in 1948. On December 18, 1956, the name of the diocese was changed to the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson.
In 1963, he condemned the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers
, saying, "We need frankly to admit that the guilt for the murder and the other instances of violence in our community tragically must be shared by all of us." The following year, he ordered Catholic elementary schools in Mississippi to admit students to the first grade
"without regard to race
." In 1965, he ordered the desegregation
of all grades in Catholic schools, in order to "bring our practice into full conformity with the teachings of Christ."
Bishop Gerow served as Episcopal Moderator of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting
from 1941 to 1961 and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award
by the Boy Scouts of America
in 1954.
of Vageata by Pope Paul VI
on the same date. He resigned his titular see on January 5, 1971. He later died at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, at age 91.
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 served as Bishop of Natchez-Jackson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
from 1924 to 1967.
Early life and education
Richard Gerow was born in MobileMobile, 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...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, one of two children of Warren Rosencranz and Annie A. (née Skehan) Gerow. His father, a native of Mobile and convert to Catholicism
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...
, built floats for Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in Mobile
Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama[pronounce] is the oldest annual Carnival celebration in America, having begun in 1703,over 15 years before New Orleans was founded ....
for the Order of Myths
Order of Myths
The Order of Myths, founded in 1867,is the oldest remaining mystic society to celebrate Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama. The Order of Myths chose, as its symbolic emblem, Folly chasing Death around a broken column of life, imagery that was considered, following the American Civil War, as a symbol of...
. His mother was born in North Tipperary
North Tipperary
North Tipperary is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-West Region and is also located in the province of Munster. It is named after the town of Tipperary and consists of 48% of the land area of the traditional county of Tipperary. The county was established in 1898 and has had a county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her family in 1863. Following his father's death in 1894, his mother supported the family by renting out small cottages and establishing a dressmaking business.
Gerow was educated by a private tutor before attending Cathedral Grammar School in Mobile. He then attended McGill Institute
McGill-Toolen Catholic High School
McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, located in Mobile, Alabama, is a private co-educational high school operated by the educational system of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile.-History:...
from 1897 until 1901, when he enrolled at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg
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...
, 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 graduated from Mount St. Mary's in 1904 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree, and then 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 the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Among his fellow seminarians at the North American College were Edward Mooney, James Hugh Ryan
James Hugh Ryan
James Hugh Ryan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Rector of the Catholic University of America and Archbishop of Omaha .-Biography:...
, and Thomas Edmund Molloy
Thomas Edmund Molloy
Thomas Edmund Molloy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Brooklyn from 1921 until his death in 1956.-Biography:...
. He earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
degree in 1909.
Priesthood
On June 5, 1909, Gerow 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 by Cardinal Pietro Respighi
Pietro Respighi
Pietro Respighi S.T.D. JUD was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archpriest of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.He was born in Bologna and received the sacrament of confirmation in November 1850...
at the Basilica of St. John Lateran
Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
. He celebrated his first Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
in the catacombs of Rome
Catacombs of Rome
The Catacombs of Rome are ancient catacombs, underground burial places under or near Rome, Italy, of which there are at least forty, some discovered only in recent decades. Though most famous for Christian burials, either in separate catacombs or mixed together, they began in the 2nd century, much...
. Following his return to the United States, he was assigned as temporary administrator of St. Joseph's Church in 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...
, 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...
, where he remained for one month. He then returned to Mobile, where he served 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 the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and pro-chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Diocese of Mobile
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile
The Archdiocese of Mobile is a Roman Catholic archdiocese comprising the lower 28 counties of Alabama. It is the metropolitan seat of the Province of Mobile, which includes the suffragan bishopric sees of the Diocese of Biloxi, the Diocese of Jackson, and the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama...
. He later served as chancellor of the diocese until 1920, when he became rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the cathedral.
Episcopacy
On June 25, 1924, Gerow was appointed the seventh Bishop of NatchezRoman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. 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 October 15 from Bishop Edward Patrick Allen
Edward Patrick Allen
Edward Patrick Allen was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Mobile from 1897 until his death in 1926.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Jules Jeanmard
Jules Jeanmard
Jules Benjamin Jeanmard was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Lafayette in Louisiana from 1918 to 1956.-Biography:...
and James Aloysius Griffin
James Aloysius Griffin
James Aloysius Griffin was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Springfield in Illinois from 1924 until his death in 1948.-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 the Immaculate Conception. His installation took place at St. Mary's Cathedral on November 12 of that year. He was named an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne is an ecclesiastical title in the Roman Catholic Church. It signifies a prelate belonging to the papal chapel, who stands near the throne of the Pope at solemn functions....
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
on October 3, 1949.
During his 43-year tenure, Gerow oversaw an extensive renovation of St. Mary's Cathedral, held biannual clerical conferences, and worked to established Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was an association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religious education. Its modern usage, often abbreviated CCD or C.C.D., is a religious education program of the Catholic Church, normally designed for children.-History:Until the...
programs in every parish of the diocese. He moved the episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the diocese to Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
in 1948. On December 18, 1956, the name of the diocese was changed to the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson.
In 1963, he condemned the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
, saying, "We need frankly to admit that the guilt for the murder and the other instances of violence in our community tragically must be shared by all of us." The following year, he ordered Catholic elementary schools in Mississippi to admit students to the first grade
First grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
"without regard to race
Race in the United States
The United States is a racially diverse country. Modern issues of "race", as well as its impact in the political and economic development of the nation, have been examined by numerous historians and researchers across a variety of academic disciplines....
." In 1965, he ordered the desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
of all grades in Catholic schools, in order to "bring our practice into full conformity with the teachings of Christ."
Bishop Gerow served as Episcopal Moderator of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
from 1941 to 1961 and was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program...
by the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
in 1954.
Later life and death
On December 2, 1967, Gerow resigned as Bishop of Natchez-Jackson; he was appointed titular bishopTitular 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 Vageata 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...
on the same date. He resigned his titular see on January 5, 1971. He later died at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, at age 91.