Herbert Bevard
{{Short description|American prelate}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend
| name = Herbert Armstrong Bevard
| honorific-suffix =
| bishop_of = Bishop Emeritus of Saint Thomas
| image =
| caption =
| archdiocese = Washington
| diocese = Saint Thomas
| see =
| appointed = July 7, 2008
| enthroned = September 3, 2008
| retired = September 18, 2020
| predecessor = George Murry
| successor = Jerome Feudjio
| ordination = May 20, 1972
| consecration = September 3, 2008
| consecrated_by = Donald Wuerl, Joseph Edward Kurtz, and Daniel Edward Thomas
| other_post =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|2|24|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| buried =
| nationality =
| religion = Roman Catholic Church
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse =
| children =
| occupation =
| profession =
| alma_mater =
| signature =
| motto = Sub tuum praesidium
(Beneath thy protection)
| ordained_by = John Krol
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles
| name= Herbert Armstrong Bevard
| dipstyle=
| offstyle=Your Excellency
| relstyle=Bishop
| image = Coat of arms of Herbert Armstrong Bevard.svg
| image_size = 200px
}}
Herbert Armstrong Bevard (born February 24, 1946) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Saint Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands from 2008 until 2020.
Biography
= Early life =
Herbert Bevard was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 24, 1946. He converted from Presbyterianism to Catholicism in 1964, when he was a high school senior.{{Cite web|title=Bishop Herbert Armstrong Bevard [Catholic-Hierarchy]|url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbevard.html|access-date=2022-01-17|website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} After deciding to become a priest, Bevard entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2020 |title=Pope accepts resignation of Bishop Bevard of Virgin Islands |url=https://catholicphilly.com/2020/09/news/national-news/pope-accepts-resignation-of-bishop-bevard-of-virgin-islands/ |access-date=2022-01-17 |website=Catholic Philly |language=en-US}}
Bevard was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal John Krol for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia in 1972. Bevard was created as monsignor in 2003 and was stationed in Philadelphia as episcopal vicar for the city's northern half.
=Bishop of Saint Thomas=
Bevard was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands on July 7, 2008, by Pope Benedict XVI. Bevard was consecrated on September 3 2008 in Charlotte Amelie at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul by Archbishop Donald Wuerl. The principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Joseph Kurtz and Bishop Daniel Edward Thomas.
Bevard was instrumental in raising funds for the restoration of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. In trips to the Continental United States, he worked to raise money for schools and charities within the diocese. After the two hurricanes hit the Virgin Islands in 2017, Bevard allowed the conversion of a diocesan retreat center on St. Croix into a homeless shelter.{{Cite web |title=Retired V.I. Bishop Leaves Rich Legacy {{!}} St. Thomas Source |url=https://stthomassource.com/content/2020/10/11/retired-v-i-bishop-leaves-rich-legacy/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=stthomassource.com}}
On July 6, 2020, aware of his deteriorating health, Bevard sent a letter of resignation as bishop of Saint Thomas to Pope Francis. Soon after that, Bevard was hospitalized at Schneider Regional Medical Center in Charlotte Amalie. In mid-August 2020, he was airlifted to a hospital in North Carolina for advanced treatment.
Pope Francis accepted Bevard's resignation on September 18, 2020, and appointed Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington to temporarily run the diocese as apostolic administrator.{{cite news|url=https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2020/09/pope-accepts-resignation-of-bishop-bevard-of-st-thomas-virgin-islands/|title=Pope accepts resignation of Bishop Bevard of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands|author=Catholic News Agency|publisher=Crux|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 19, 2020}}{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=SUZANNE CARLSON Daily News|title=Bishop Bevard retires citing health, age|url=http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/bishop-bevard-retires-citing-health-age/article_66da94be-4d37-542b-a2de-7be7f4c59be1.html|access-date=2022-01-17|website=The Virgin Islands Daily News|language=en}}
Bevard currently resides in Wilmington, North Carolina.{{cite magazine | last = Fewel | first = John Matthew | access-date = December 27, 2020 | date = November 2020 | url = https://50.87.21.179/1120ci.pdf | title = A Reflection on Bishop Herbert Armstong Bevard's Twelve Years of Spiritual Leadership of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands | publisher = Catholic Islander}}
See also
{{portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|United States}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Catholic Church hierarchy
- Catholic Church in the United States
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of Catholic bishops of the United States
- Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
{{div col end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{wikiquote|Herbert Armstrong Bevard}}
{{commonscat}}
- [http://www.catholicvi.com/ Diocese of St. Thomas in Virgin Islands]
- [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbevard.html Bishop Hebert Armstrong Bevard] at Catholic-Hierarchy.org Wikipedia:Verifiability#Reliable sources
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{{succession box |
title=Bishop of Saint Thomas |
before=George Murry|
after=Jerome Feudjio|
years=2008–2020 }}
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{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas}}
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bevard, Herbert}}
Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Saint Thomas
Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Presbyterianism
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
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