George Hugh Niederauer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend George Hugh Niederauer |
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| Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco | |
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| Church | Roman Catholic |
| Archdiocese | San Francisco |
| Appointed | December 15, 2005 |
| Enthroned | February 15, 2006 |
| Reign ended | July 27, 2012 |
| Predecessor | William Levada |
| Successor | Salvatore J. Cordileone |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | April 30, 1962 |
| Consecration | January 25, 1995 by Roger Mahony, William Levada, and Tod Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 14, 1936 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | May 2, 2017 (aged 80) San Rafael, California |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | To Serve and To Give |
| Styles of George Hugh Niederauer |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
George Hugh Niederauer (born June 14, 1936 – died May 2, 2017) was an American bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. He held important roles, serving as the Archbishop of San Francisco. Before that, he was the Bishop of Salt Lake City from 1994 to 2005.
Contents
About George Niederauer
Early Life and Education
George Niederauer was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 1936. He was the only child of George and Elaine Niederauer. He went to St. Catherine's Military School and then St. Anthony High School. A classmate of his was Cardinal William Levada.
After high school in 1954, he first attended Stanford University. However, during his first year, he decided to change his path. He chose to enter St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California.
He earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1959. He continued his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., getting a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree. In 1962, he also earned a Master of Arts degree in English literature from Loyola University in Los Angeles. Later, he received a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Southern California (USC).
Becoming a Bishop
George Niederauer became a priest on April 30, 1962. In 1984, he was given the special title of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness, also known as Monsignor. From 1987 to 1992, he served as the leader (Rector) of St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo.
On November 3, 1994, Pope John Paul II chose him to be the eighth Bishop of Salt Lake City. He officially became a bishop on January 25, 1995. Cardinal Roger Mahony led the ceremony, with Archbishop William Levada and Bishop Tod David Brown helping. People saw him as a very friendly person. His talks (homilies) were known for making difficult Bible stories and ideas easy to understand and inspiring for daily life.
Archbishop of San Francisco
On December 15, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to a new role. He became the eighth Metropolitan Archbishop of San Francisco. He took over from William Levada, who moved to a new position in the Roman Curia (the Pope's main administration).
Archbishop Niederauer was also the chairman of the communication committee for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was also a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, which deals with how the Church uses media.
In August 2011, Archbishop Niederauer had emergency heart surgery. On July 27, 2012, the Holy See (the Pope's government) accepted his resignation. Salvatore J. Cordileone was chosen to be the next Archbishop of San Francisco. After this, Niederauer was known as the Archbishop Emeritus.
His Beliefs
Views on Marriage
In 2008, Archbishop Niederauer supported a ballot measure in California called Proposition 8. This measure was about defining marriage as only between a man and a woman in California. He helped bring together different religious groups, like Catholics and Mormons, to support this measure. This teamwork was very important for the measure's success.
On Moral Teaching
Archbishop Niederauer believed that true moral teaching comes from objective truth. He felt it should not be based on what opinion polls say.
See also
- 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
Sources
- Salt Lake Diocese press release of Niederauer's appointment as archbishop
Episcopal succession
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Levada |
Archbishop of San Francisco 2006–2012 |
Succeeded by Salvatore J. Cordileone |
| Preceded by William Kenneth Weigand |
Bishop of Salt Lake City 1995–2005 |
Succeeded by John Charles Wester |
