Savannah's Religious Order Bishops: Verot, Persico, Gross and Keyes
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November 26, 2009 FEATURE Southern Cross, Page 5 Savannah’s religious order bishops: Verot, Persico, Gross and Keyes ishops Augustin Verot, Ignatius Persico, William Gross and “retirement years” he was titular Gross consecrated the area’s first BMichael Keyes had something in common: each belonged to a Archbishop of Tamiatha and papal native-born priest and the north- religious order. Bishop Verot was a Sulpician, Bishop Persico was a delegate to Ireland. He eventually west’s first monsignor. He was 61 Capucian, Bishop Gross was a Redemptorist and Bishop Keyes was became Vicar of the Vatican and when he died on November 14, Cardinal Priest of Saint Peter in 1898. a Marist. Another common ground was that their departures from Chains. Bishop Ignatius Persico Bishop Michael J. Keyes, SM Savannah led them to further achievements. died on December 7, 1895, the sole The fourth religious order priest Savannah Bishop to have become heading the Savannah Diocese was Bishop Augustin Verot, SS Bishop Ignatius Persico, The third Bishop of Savannah, OFMCap cardinal. Bishop Michael J. Keyes. Born in Augustin Verot, was born in Bishop number four of the Bishop William H. Gross, CSsR Ireland in 1876, he attended the France Diocese of Savannah was Ignatius Bishop William H. Gross, Christian Brothers school. Coming in 1804. Persico, OFM Cap., Born in Persico’s successor, was small and to the United States, he became Ordained 1823 in Italy, Persico entered the boyish-looking, but was described interested in the Marist Order a priest in Capuchin Franciscan Order in1839. by his priest and entered the Society in 1901. 1828, he He commenced his ministry in brother, Having completed studies at Marist became a India, helping found a seminary Father Mark College and Catholic University of member of in Bombay and to establish the Gross, as America, he was ordained in 1907. the Society Bombay Catholic Examiner. In being “strong A fine academic, Keyes taught of Saint 1853, Persico as an ox.” early on at Marist Seminary and Sulpice, was sent Born in College. He was appointed rector afterwards to negoti- Baltimore of Marist College in 1922, and going to ate between in 1837, he secretary to the Apostolic Delegate Baltimore. The brilliant Verot Rome and was accepted (1912-1922). at first taught at Saint Mary’s London and by the Michael Joseph Keyes was con- College. In 1853, he became pas- succeeded Redemptorist Order in 1857, and secrated eighth Bishop of Savannah tor at Ellicot’s Mills and spent in acquir- entered their Annapolis, Maryland on October four years in mission work. ing British novitiate and seminary. Ordained 18, 1922. Being named Vicar Apostolic recognition in March 1863, Gross was soon While dis- of Florida in 1858 and Titular for Catholic ministering to both Union and daining the Bishop of Danabe confirmed his rights. He was Confederate wounded. limelight, missionary leanings. named bishop in 1854 and nomi- William Gross was drawn to the scholarly No time-waster, Verot wrested nated bishop-auxiliary to Bishop mission work and traveled with a Bishop Keyes Florida Catholicism from less- Anastasius Hartmann. Appointed Redemptorist missionary band to supervised than-ideal conditions, establish- visitor of the Vicariate of Agra Georgia in 1868, but returned to construc- ing churches and schools and and Apostolic of the district, he Baltimore when exhaustion over- tion of nine importing European religious was physiologically scarred by whelmed him. In 1875, after being churches, to assist his three priests. His the Indian Mutiny and returned in charge of various Baltimore four schools, seven rectories, three appointment as Bishop of the to Rome. He was residing in the parish missions for several years, convents and an orphanage. Bishop Diocese of Savannah in 1861 United States in 1870 when he was thirty-six-year-old Gross was Keyes resigned in 1935 because coincided with opening volleys named Bishop of Savannah. named Bishop of Savannah. With of ill health. Soon afterward, he of the Civil War. Responsible for The replacement of the old fore-knowledge of Georgia, Gross became titular bishop of Aeropolis, both Georgia and Florida during (c.1839) Cathedral headed the new informed his people about the Palestine, and assistant to the pon- worsening times, Verot begged bishop’s to-do list. He acquired church through a newspaper, the tifical throne. He resumed teaching for aid for his destitute people. half of a city block from the Sisters first Southern Cross. He built in 1938, becoming Professor of In 1870, Verot became Saint of Mercy as the site of a new the cathedral planned by Bishop Moral Theology at Marist College. Augustine’s first bishop and church, deeding the sisters other Persico and put his own stamp on Former Bishop of Savannah, surely wore his love for his new property in return. Today’s it—renaming it the Cathedral of Bishop Michael J. Keyes, S.M. appointment on his sleeve as he Cathedral of Saint John the Our Lady of Perpetual Help. died on July 31, 1959. restored Nombre de Dios, the Baptist stands on this site. (The Cathedral of Saint John Bishops Augustin Verot, S.S, 1565 site of the first Catholic Bishop Persico supervised the Baptist later resumed its Ignatius Persico OFM Cap, Mass in the United States, and building of churches in original name.) William H. Gross. C.Ss.R and tracked down early records. Brunswick, Darien and In 1885, the still-youthful Michael J. Keyes, SM, each con- Recently, the Savannah Morning Dalton, assigned Brunswick Bishop of Savannah became tributed significantly to the See of Archbishop of Oregon Savannah and, more widely, to the News (November 14, 2009) high- a resident pastor, arranged Rita H. DeLorme lighted the story of records now for Sisters of Mercy to run City and soon “hit his Catholic Church. preserved in Saint Augustine’s Augusta’s City Hospital and made stride.” He dedicated the Columnist Rita H. DeLorme Archive, and recalled Bishop the Sisters of Saint Joseph a dioc- Cathedral in Portland, acquired is a volunteer in the Diocesan Verot’s role in reclaiming them. esan order. His health failing, he a newspaper, and invited the Archives. She can be reached A historian and writer who resigned in 1873. Dominican Sisters, Christian at [email protected]. embraced the diversity of nine- When his health improved, Brothers, Benedictine Fathers, teenth-century Florida, there was Bishop Persico became Apostolic Sisters, Adorers of the Precious Photos courtesy of the Diocesan little not to love about Bishop delegate to Canada, mediator Blood, and the Sisters of Mercy to Archives. Verot. during the Malabar schism, and Oregon. Schools, including a semi- Bishop of Aquino, Italy. In his nary, were established. Archbishop .