Conventual Franciscan Appointed Bishop of Savannah, Georgia
Ordination and Installation set for October 18, 2011
On October 18, 2011, Savannah, Georgia will celebrate the installation and ordination of its new bishop – Conventual Franciscan Friar Gregory Hartmayer. Friar Gregory’s fellow Franciscans are delighted that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has chose one of their brothers to serve the Church as bishop.
Friar Gregory originally hails from Buffalo, New York. He has been a solemnly professed Franciscan since 1973 and a priest since 1979. Until his appointment to the ministry of Bishop of Savannah, Friar Gregory served as pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Lithia Springs, Georgia. Not long after his appointment, Friar Gregory recorded the following video interview in which he speaks about discovering that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed him Bishop of Savannah:
In the morning of September 1, 2011 some time after Friar Gregory’s appointment to the Bishop of Savannah, members of the local clergy and lay people arrived at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Georgia to celebrate and attend a Mass of Thanksgiving for the new Bishop. Below are videos that show Bishop Gregory entering the cathedral and offering his farewell address to the congregation.
As we move closer to October 18 – the day of Bishop Gregory’s installation and ordination – we will post updates on this webpage highlighting preparations for this day. We will also cover the installation and ordination. So when you have a chance do drop by this webpage again.
The Diocese of Georgia
When Pope Benedict XVI appointed Friar Gregory Hartmayer Bishop of Savannah, Georgia, he brought the Conventual Franciscan to a diocese with a history that stretches back to 1850 – the year the diocese was founded by Pope Pius IX. It consisted at the time of all of Georgia and parts of Florida. In its current state 90 counties in the south of Georgia fall into the Diocese of Savannah and just over 77,000 Catholics call the diocese home.
The seat of the Diocese of Savannah is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, which is located in the diocese’s namesake city and has been in active service to the community since 1876.
