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 American leader in the Catholic Church. He is a member of the Society of the Divine Word, a group of priests and brothers. Bishop Guillory served as the main leader, or Bishop, of the Diocese of Beaumont from 2000 to 2020. He was the first bishop in that role who was not a lawyer in church law.

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

About Bishop Curtis Guillory

His Early Life

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

His family were descendants of "free people of color" from Louisiana. This means they were people of color who were not enslaved. His father owned a small farm and also worked on another farm. Curtis and his many siblings helped with farm chores like picking cotton and feeding animals. He would wake up early to work before school, then return to work until dark.

Curtis Guillory decided to study to become a priest. He went to St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. He even played on the seminary baseball team. Once, when his parents were in the hospital, he thought about leaving the seminary to help his family. But his mother told him to stay and pray for them.

In 1968, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Divine Word College in Iowa. Later, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois.

Becoming a Priest

On December 16, 1972, Curtis Guillory became a priest for the Society of the Divine Word. His ordination took place at his home church, St. Ann in Mallet Bayou. He was ordained by Auxiliary Bishop Carlos Ambrosio Lewis Tullock.

His first assignment was at St. Augustine Parish in New Orleans. He served there for three years as an associate pastor and then for six years as the main pastor. He also helped start the Tolton House of Studies in New Orleans, which was a home for students studying to become priests.

Bishop Guillory was involved in many groups. He was part of the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators and was a national chaplain for the Knights of Peter Claver, a Catholic organization. He also helped coordinate the visit of Pope John Paul II to New Orleans in 1987.

In 1986, he earned another degree, a Master of Christian Spirituality, from Creighton University in Nebraska.

Serving as an Auxiliary Bishop

On December 29, 1987, Pope John Paul II chose Curtis Guillory to be an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston–Houston. An auxiliary bishop helps the main bishop lead a large area. He became a bishop on February 19, 1988. For his special motto as a bishop, he chose a phrase from the Bible: "For those who love God, all things work together for good."

As an auxiliary bishop, he was very active. He led the Committee of African American Catholics for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which is a group of all the Catholic bishops in the United States. He also served on committees for Hispanic Affairs and for priests' lives. He was a board member for several organizations, including the YMCA and the Mental Health Association.

In 1996, Bishop Guillory had the special honor of carrying the Olympic torch briefly in Texas. He was the only Catholic bishop to do so during its tour across the United States. In 2019, he spoke out strongly about serious issues, calling them "heinous crimes" and "grave sins."

Leading the Diocese of Beaumont

St Anthony Cathedral Basilica, Beaumont, Texas (2008)

On June 2, 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Guillory as the main bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont. He officially took on this role on July 28, 2000. He was the first African American bishop to lead a diocese in Texas. He was also the first Beaumont bishop to belong to a religious group like the Society of the Divine Word.

During his time in Beaumont, Bishop Guillory made several important changes. He helped make St. Anthony Cathedral a special church called a basilica. He also built a new Catholic chapel at Lamar University and created a new Catholic Pastoral Center. He started the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Beaumont to help raise money for church projects. In 2016, he received a special award for his humanitarian work from Temple Emanuel in Beaumont, Texas.

Retirement

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

See also