| |
|
|
Bishop
George W. Coleman was ordained a bishop
and installed as the seventh bishop
of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass.,
on July 22 in the Cathedral of St. Mary
of the Assumption in Fall River. Archbishop
Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio,
officiated at the ceremony. Pope John
Paul II had announced the appointment
in April.
Bishop
Coleman had served as the administrator
of the diocese since last October when
the former bishop of the diocese, Sean
O’Malley, O.F.M., became the head
of the Diocese of Palm Beach in Florida.
Previously, Bishop Coleman had served
eight years as the top assistant to
Bishop O’Malley, holding the posts
of diocesan vicar general and moderator
of the curia.
Ordained
to the priesthood in 1964 at St. Peter’s
Basilica in Rome, Bishop Coleman began
his ministry as the associate pastor
of St. Killian’s Parish in New
Bedford, Mass., from 1965-67. He then
served at the former St. Louis Parish,
Fall River, until 1972, and at Our Lady
of Victory Parish, Centerville, until
1977. Appointed director of the Diocesan
Department of Education, Bishop Coleman
worked in this capacity for eight years,
overseeing Catholic schools, parish
religious education and campus ministry
programs; in 1982, he became the pastor
of St. Patrick’s Parish in Fall
River. From 1985 until 1994, Bishop
Coleman served as pastor of Corpus Christi
Parish in Sandwich, and, from 1990-94,
as dean of the Cape and the Islands
deanery.
In
1994, Pope John Paul II named him Prelate
of Honor with the title of reverend
monsignor.
Bishop
Coleman prepared for the priesthood
at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton,
Mass., and at the North American College
in Rome where he also earned a graduate
degree in sacred theology from Gregorian
University.
In
recent years, he has resided at St.
Joseph’s Church in Fall River,
where he regularly assisted with parish
Masses.
The
Diocese of Fall River, which comprises
the areas of Southeastern Massachusetts,
Cape Cod and the Islands, serves approximately
350,000 persons in 101 parishes. Bishop
Coleman is the second native son of
the almost 100-year-old diocese to serve
in this capacity.
|
