Bernard J. Ganter
Bernard J. Ganter | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Beaumont | |
| Appointed | December 13, 1972 |
| Installed | 1973 |
| Term ended | 1977 |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 22, 1952 by Bishop Wendelin Joseph Nold |
| Consecration | February 2, 1973 by Archbishop Luigi Raimondi |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Bernard Jacques Ganter |
| Born | July 17, 1928 Galveston, Texas |
| Died | October 9, 1993 (aged 65) |
| Buried | Bishop's Garden next to St. Anthony Cathedral |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Parents | Bernard and Marie (née Bozka) Ganter |
| Occupation | Curate |
| Profession | Private Secretary |
| Education | Texas A&M University |
| Alma mater | St. Mary's Seminary, La Porte |
Bernard Jacques Ganter (July 17, 1928 – October 9, 1993) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Tulsa (1973–1977) and Bishop of Beaumont, TX (1977–1993).
Biography[]
Bernard Ganter was born in Galveston, Texas, to Bernard and Marie (née Bozka) Ganter.[1] He studied engineering at Texas A&M University for one year before transferring to St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte to study for the priesthood.[1] He was ordained by Bishop Wendelin Joseph Nold on May 22, 1952.[2]
He then attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from where he obtained a Doctor of Canon Law in 1955.[1] He was a curate at Sacred Heart Church in Conroe before serving as private secretary to Bishop Nold (1955-1958).[1] He was also head of the diocesan tribunal (1958–66), chancellor of the diocese (1966–72), and diocesan consultor.[1] He was named Papal Chamberlain in May 1964, and elected to the presbyterate council the same year.[1]
On December 13, 1972, Ganter was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pope Paul VI.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on February 2, 1973 from Archbishop Luigi Raimondi, with Bishops Nold and John Louis Morkovsky serving as co-consecrators.[2] He quickly became a beloved figure among Catholics in Eastern Oklahoma, and led a diocese that was culturally and economically diverse.[3] After four years in Tulsa, Ganter returned to Texas and was named the third Bishop of Beaumont on December 13, 1977.[2]
During his tenure in Beaumont, he established five new parishes, including the first parish in the United States for Vietnamese Americans.[1] He started the permanent diaconate and ordained 36 men between 1979 and 1992.[4] He also established a Catholic Charities office, diocesan financial board, retreat center, and biblical school for adults.[4] The Diocese of Beaumont lost territory with the creation of the Diocese of Tyler in 1986, but received the rest of Chambers and Liberty Counties in 1989.[4]
Ganter died from a brain tumor at age 65.[1] He is buried in the Bishop's Garden next to St. Anthony Cathedral.[1]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "GANTER, BERNARD JACQUES (1928-1993)". The Handbook of Texas Online.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Bishop Bernard James Ganter". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
- ^ "Tulsa Gets a Bishop". Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "History of The Diocese Of Beaumont". Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont. Archived from the original on 2009-04-01.
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- 1928 births
- 1993 deaths
- Texas A&M University alumni
- Catholic University of America alumni
- People from Galveston, Texas
- Roman Catholic bishops of Tulsa
- 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- Catholics from Texas