Francis Joseph Christian

Styles of
**Francis Joseph Christian**
Styles of; Francis Joseph Christian
Reference style	His Excellency; The Most Reverend;
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Francis Joseph Christian
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; Francis Joseph Christian
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Manchester; Titular Bishop of Quincy
Archdiocese	Boston
Diocese	Manchester
Appointed	April 2, 1996
Installed	May 14, 1996
Retired	February 1, 2018
Other post(s)	Titular Bishop of Quincy
Orders
Ordination	June 29, 1968
Consecration	May 14, 1996; by Leo Edward O'Neil, Odore Joseph Gendron, and Joseph John Gerry
Personal details
Born	Peterborough, New Hampshire, US
Education	Saint 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
Motto	To love in deed and truth

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.

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]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Retired Bishop - Diocese of Manchester". Diocese of Manchester. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
^ ^a ^b "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Francis J. Christian of Manchester | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Bishop Francis Joseph Christian [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
^ ^a ^b "MEET OUR PASTOR | Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Nashua NH". St Joseph the Worker. Retrieved 2021-12-06.

External links

Episcopal succession

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

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

[:0-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Retired Bishop - Diocese of Manchester". Diocese of Manchester. Retrieved 2021-12-06.

[:3-2] "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Francis J. Christian of Manchester | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2023-10-30.

[:1-3] "Bishop Francis Joseph Christian [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2021-12-06.

[:2-4] "MEET OUR PASTOR | Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Nashua NH". St Joseph the Worker. Retrieved 2021-12-06.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
Bishops	Ordinaries Denis Mary Bradley John Bernard Delany George Albert Guertin John Bertram Peterson Matthew Francis Brady Ernest John Primeau Odore Joseph Gendron Leo Edward O'Neil John Brendan McCormack Peter Anthony Libasci Auxiliaries Francis Joseph Christian Joseph John Gerry Robert Edward Mulvee
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Joseph Abbey St. Anselm Abbey Parishes St. Anne of the Good Shepherd, Berlin St. Joseph Church, Claremont St. Thomas More Church, Durham Ste. Marie Church, Manchester St. Aloysius of Gonzaga Church, Nashua Former parishes St. Stanislaus Church, Nashua
Education	Higher education Rivier University Saint Anselm College Thomas More College of Liberal Arts High schools Bishop Guertin High School, Nashua Holy Family Academy, Manchester Mount Royal Academy, Sunapee St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Dover Trinity High School, Manchester Defunct institutions Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts
Priests	Thomas Michael O'Leary
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