Curtis J. Guillory facts for kids

Styles of Curtis John Guillory
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Curtis John Guillory (born September 1, 1943) is an important leader in the Catholic Church in the United States. He is a member of the Society of the Divine Word, a group of priests and brothers. Bishop Guillory served as the leader of the Diocese of Beaumont from 2000 to 2020.

Before this, he was an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston–Houston from 1988 to 2000. He was the first Black Catholic bishop in Texas history.

Bishop Curtis Guillory's Life Story

Growing Up in Louisiana

Curtis Guillory was born on September 1, 1943, in Bayou Mallet, Louisiana. He was the oldest of 17 children! His parents were Wilfred and Theresa Guillory.

His family were descendants of free people of color in Louisiana. His father owned a small farm and worked on another. Curtis and his many siblings helped with farm chores. They picked cotton, shucked corn, and fed the animals. Even during school, he would wake up early to work. Then he would go to school and return home to work until dark.

Becoming a Priest

Curtis Guillory decided to study to become a priest. He joined the Society of Divine Word's St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. While there, he played on the seminary baseball team.

He once thought about leaving the seminary to help his family when his parents were sick. But his mother told him to stay and pray for them.

In 1968, he earned a degree from Divine Word College in Iowa. Later, he earned another degree from Catholic Theological Union in Illinois.

On December 16, 1972, Curtis Guillory became a priest. He served at St. Augustine Parish in New Orleans for nine years. First, he was an associate pastor, then a pastor.

He also helped start the Tolton House of Studies in New Orleans. This was a home for students studying to become Divine Word priests. He was also a national chaplain for the Knights of Peter Claver, a Catholic organization.

In 1986, he earned another master's degree from Creighton University. In 1987, he helped organize the visit of Pope John Paul II to New Orleans.

Serving as Auxiliary Bishop

On December 29, 1987, Pope John Paul II chose Guillory to be an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston–Houston. He became a bishop on February 19, 1988. His motto as a bishop was: "For those who love God, all things work together for good."

Bishop Guillory was chosen to lead the Committee of African American Catholics for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). He also served on other important committees. He was a board member for the YMCA and the Mental Health Association.

In 1996, Bishop Guillory had a special honor. He briefly carried the Olympic torch in Texas. This was during its tour around the United States before the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was the only Catholic bishop to do so!

Leading the Diocese of Beaumont

On June 2, 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Guillory as the main bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont. He officially started his new role on July 28, 2000. He was the first African American bishop to lead a diocese in Texas.

While in Beaumont, Bishop Guillory did many important things:

• He made St. Anthony Cathedral a special church called a basilica.
• He built a new Catholic chapel at Lamar University in Beaumont.
• He created a new Catholic Pastoral Center.
• He also started the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Beaumont. This foundation helps raise money for the diocese.

In 2016, Bishop Guillory received the Rabbi Samuel Rosinger Humanitarian Award. This award recognized his work for others in Beaumont, Texas.

Retirement

Bishop Guillory retired on June 9, 2020. Pope Francis accepted his resignation. Reverend David Toups became the new bishop of Beaumont.

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