A man of peace and mercy and a dedicated servant of Christ has been called home to the Lord.
The Diocese of Portland joins the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, in mourning the loss of Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety, who served as the eighth Bishop of Portland from 1969 to 1974. During his time in our diocese, he devoted himself in a special way to the social teaching of the Church, particularly as it relates to the vulnerable and marginalized. Under his leadership, outreach to the poor and underserved increased through the expansion of Catholic Charities Maine into a statewide agency.
Archbishop Gerety was filled with love for the people he served. He loved Maine; its priests; its people; and its beauty, especially the waters of Casco Bay where he loved to sail; and Maine truly loved him.
I offer my prayers and sympathy for his family, friends, and the fortunate people who encountered Archbishop Gerety during his 104 years.
We ask that the Lord grant him eternal rest and bring him into the fullness of the kingdom.