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Georges Pontier
Bmclaughlin9: ←Created page with ''''Georges Pontier''' (born 1 May 1943) is a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Marseille fr...'
'''Georges Pontier''' (born 1 May 1943) is a French prelate of the Catholic Church who was [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Marseille|Archbishop of Marseille]] from 2006 to 2019 and President of the Episcopal Conference of France from 2013 to 2019.
==Biography==
Georges Pontier was born 1 May 1943 in [[Lavaur, Tarn|Lavaur]] in the [[Tarn (department) | Tarn]]. After studying at the major seminary of Albi he completed his training at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] in Rome where he obtained a degree in theology, then a master's degree in Modern Literature at the [[University of Toulouse]]. He was ordained a priest of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Albi|Diocese of Albi]] on 3 July 1966. He taught at the minor seminary of [[Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe]] and became its rector. He was curate and then archpriest of the Albi cathedral from 1985 to 1988.<ref name=bio/>
[[Pope John Paul II]] appointed him [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Digne|Bishop of Digne]] on 2 February 1988 and he was consecrated on 20 March. John Paul made him [[Roman Catholic Diocese of La Rochelle|Bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes]] on 5 August 1996.<ref name=bio/>
[[Pope Benedict XVI]] named him [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Marseille|Archbishop of Marseille]] on 12 May 2006.<ref name=bio>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Though orthodox in matters of theology, with respect to same-sex marriage and the ordination of women, for example, his rapprochement with Islam made him the "bête noire" of the political right. He was particularly engaged by the social situation of the [[Roma]] and the undocumented.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> In 2010 he arranged for retired priests to vacate six apartments in a Church-owned apartment building in the Saint-Pierre district of Marseille to allow for six Roma families to be housed there, provoking resistance from locals and their political representatives.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> And in 2017 he called on the French government to devise better solutions for the Roma who are being "shuffled from one place to another".<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In the [[Bishops Conference of France]] (CEF) he was vice president from 2001 to 2007, headed its Studies and Projects Committee from 2008 to 2013, and president from 2013 to 2019.<ref></ref> In October 2015, as president of the CEF, he attended the [[Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|Synod of Bishops on the Family]].<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
He declined to endorse the "proclamation of freedom of expression" that [[Reporters Without Borders]] invited all religious leaders to sign following the [[Charlie Hebdo shooting|''Charlie Hebdo'' shooting]] in January 2015. In a letter to the bishops of France, he said the statement itself seemed to doubt the commitment of religious leaders to freedom of expression and singled them out when all leaders of civic society should share this commitment.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
[[Pope Francis]] accepted his resignation, submitted as required when Pontier turned 75, on 8 August 2019.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Archbishops of Marseille]]
[[Category:Bishops of Digne]]
[[Category:People from Lavaur, Tarn]]
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]]
==Biography==
Georges Pontier was born 1 May 1943 in [[Lavaur, Tarn|Lavaur]] in the [[Tarn (department) | Tarn]]. After studying at the major seminary of Albi he completed his training at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] in Rome where he obtained a degree in theology, then a master's degree in Modern Literature at the [[University of Toulouse]]. He was ordained a priest of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Albi|Diocese of Albi]] on 3 July 1966. He taught at the minor seminary of [[Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe]] and became its rector. He was curate and then archpriest of the Albi cathedral from 1985 to 1988.<ref name=bio/>
[[Pope John Paul II]] appointed him [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Digne|Bishop of Digne]] on 2 February 1988 and he was consecrated on 20 March. John Paul made him [[Roman Catholic Diocese of La Rochelle|Bishop of La Rochelle and Saintes]] on 5 August 1996.<ref name=bio/>
[[Pope Benedict XVI]] named him [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Marseille|Archbishop of Marseille]] on 12 May 2006.<ref name=bio>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Though orthodox in matters of theology, with respect to same-sex marriage and the ordination of women, for example, his rapprochement with Islam made him the "bête noire" of the political right. He was particularly engaged by the social situation of the [[Roma]] and the undocumented.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> In 2010 he arranged for retired priests to vacate six apartments in a Church-owned apartment building in the Saint-Pierre district of Marseille to allow for six Roma families to be housed there, provoking resistance from locals and their political representatives.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> And in 2017 he called on the French government to devise better solutions for the Roma who are being "shuffled from one place to another".<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In the [[Bishops Conference of France]] (CEF) he was vice president from 2001 to 2007, headed its Studies and Projects Committee from 2008 to 2013, and president from 2013 to 2019.<ref></ref> In October 2015, as president of the CEF, he attended the [[Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|Synod of Bishops on the Family]].<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
He declined to endorse the "proclamation of freedom of expression" that [[Reporters Without Borders]] invited all religious leaders to sign following the [[Charlie Hebdo shooting|''Charlie Hebdo'' shooting]] in January 2015. In a letter to the bishops of France, he said the statement itself seemed to doubt the commitment of religious leaders to freedom of expression and singled them out when all leaders of civic society should share this commitment.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
[[Pope Francis]] accepted his resignation, submitted as required when Pontier turned 75, on 8 August 2019.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Archbishops of Marseille]]
[[Category:Bishops of Digne]]
[[Category:People from Lavaur, Tarn]]
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]]
August 11, 2019 at 03:50AM
