Francis Joseph Christian

Last updated
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Francis Joseph Christian
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Manchester
Titular Bishop of Quincy
Archdiocese Boston
Diocese Manchester
AppointedApril 2, 1996
InstalledMay 14, 1996
RetiredFebruary 1, 2018
Other post(s)Titular Bishop of Quincy
Orders
OrdinationJune 29, 1968
ConsecrationMay 14, 1996
by  Leo Edward O'Neil, Odore Joseph Gendron, and Joseph John Gerry
Personal details
Born
Peterborough, New Hampshire, US
EducationSaint Paul Seminary -
Bachelor of Arts degree
University of Ottawa -
Bachelor of Philosophy degree
American College at the University of Louvain -
Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees
MottoTo love in deed and truth
Styles of
Francis Joseph Christian
Coat of arms of Francis Joseph Christian.svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Francis Joseph Christian (born 1942) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Manchester in New Hampshire from 1996 to 2018.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Francis Christian was born on born October 8, 1942, in Peterborough, New Hampshire. He attended primary school in the Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District, graduating from Conant High School in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. [1]

Christian studied at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, for two years before entering Saint Paul Seminary in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1962. In 1964, he graduated from Saint Paul with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from the University of Ottawa in 1964. [1] That same year, Christian, travelled to Leuven, Belgium, to attend the American College at the University of Louvain, earning a Master of Theology degree in 1968. [1] [2]

Priesthood

On June 28, 1968, Christian was ordained into the priesthood for the Diocese of Manchester by Bishop Ernest Primeau at Saint Patrick Church in Jaffrey. [3]

After his ordination, Christian served three years as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Merrimack, New Hampshire, then a year with the same position at Saint Joseph Cathedral Parish. [1] In 1973, Christian returned to the American College, earning a Doctor of Theology degree in February 1975. [1]

In March 1975, Christian came back to Manchester to serve as assistant chancellor of Manchester. He was promoted to chancellor in June 1977. In 1986, Pope John Paul II named Christian a prelate of honor. [1] [2]

Auxiliary Bishop of Manchester

On April 2, 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed Christian as the auxiliary bishop of Manchester and titular bishop of Quincy. He was consecrated by Bishop Leo O’Neil on May 14, 1996, at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Manchester. [3] In 2003, Christian was appointed pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Nashua, New Hampshire in addition to his duties as auxiliary bishop. [4]

Retirement

On February 1, 2018, Pope Francis accepted Christian's letter of resignation as auxiliary bishop of Manchester. He continued to serve as pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish. [3] [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester</span> US diocese of the Catholic Church

The Diocese of Manchester is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church for New Hampshire in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archbishop of Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph N. Perry</span>

Joseph Nathaniel Perry is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1998 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Braxton</span> American Roman Catholic retired bishop

Edward Kenneth Braxton is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Belleville in Illinois, from 2005 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter A. Hurley</span> Canadian-born American Roman Catholic bishop

Walter Allison Hurley is a Canadian-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Charles Wester</span> American prelate

John Charles Wester, is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico since 2015. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City in Utah from 2007 to 2015 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco in California from 1998 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Brendan McCormack</span> Catholic bishop (1935–2021)

John Brendan McCormack was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Manchester from 1998 until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph A. Pepe</span>

Joseph Anthony Pepe is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Las Vegas in Nevada from 2001 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael John Sheridan</span> Catholic bishop (1945–2022)

Michael John Sheridan was an American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs in Colorado from 2003 to 2021. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis in Missouri from 1997 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Francis Kinney</span> American Roman Catholic prelate (1937–2019)

John Francis Kinney was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud in Minnesota from 1995 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Joseph Kettler</span>

Donald Joseph Kettler is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud from 2013 to 2022. Kettler previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks from 2002 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William J. Justice</span>

William Joseph Justice, is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Justice served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco in California from 2008 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher J. Coyne</span> Roman Catholic bishop in the United States

Christopher James Coyne is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He serves as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut and the administrator of the Diocese of Burlington. Coyne previously served as the bishop of Diocese of Burlington from 2015 to 2023 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Indiana from 2011 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Joseph Banks</span>

Robert Joseph Banks is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay in Wisconsin from 1990 to 2003. He also served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston in Massachusetts from 1985 to 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert William Muench</span>

Robert William Muench is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Muench served as bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in Louisiana from 2002 to 2018. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Covington in Kentucky from 1996 to 2002 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in Louisiana from 1990 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Joseph Melczek</span> American Catholic bishop (1938–2022)

Dale Joseph Melczek was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit in Michigan from 1982 to 1992 and as bishop of the Diocese of Gary in Indiana from 1996 until 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christie Macaluso</span> American prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1945)

Christie Albert Macaluso is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut from 1997 to 2017. Since 2017 he serves as auxiliary bishop emeritus of Hartford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odore Joseph Gendron</span> American Catholic bishop (1921–2020)

Odore Joseph Gendron was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Manchester in New Hampshire from 1975 to 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Anthony Libasci</span> Catholic bishop (born 1951)

Peter Anthony Libasci is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Manchester in New Hampshire since 2011. Libasci previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York from 2007 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey S. Grob</span> American Catholic priest

Jeffrey Scott Grob is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago since 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Gordon (bishop)</span>

Gregory William Gordon is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Las Vegas since 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Retired Bishop - Diocese of Manchester". Diocese of Manchester. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  2. 1 2 "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Francis J. Christian of Manchester | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  3. 1 2 3 "Bishop Francis Joseph Christian [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  4. 1 2 "MEET OUR PASTOR | Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Nashua NH". St Joseph the Worker. Retrieved 2021-12-06.

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
–
 Auxiliary Bishop of Manchester
1996–2018		Succeeded by
–


External Ornaments of a Bishop.svg

This article about an American Catholic bishop or archbishop is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.