Gerard Louis Frey (May 10, 1914—August 16, 2007) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Savannah, Georgia (1967-1972) and Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana (1972-1989).
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One of nine children, Gerard Frey was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Andrew Francis and Marie Theresa (née DeRose) Frey.[1] Two of his brothers also entered the priesthood.[2] After attending St. Vincent de Paul School, he studied at St. Joseph College Seminary from 1928 to 1932.[1] He then entered Notre Dame Seminary, where he completed his theological studies.[1] He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans on April 2, 1938.[3]
Frey then served as a curate at Holy Rosary Church in Taft until 1946, when he became director of the Archdiocesan Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.[1] While serving as director, he resided at St. Leo the Great Church in New Orleans.[1] He was named a Papal Chamberlain by Pope Pius XII in 1949, and pastor of St. Frances Cabrini Church at New Orleans in 1952.[1] Domestic Prelate 1954.[1] He attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965 as a pastoral representative.[4] He was later made pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church in Houma.[4]
On May 31, 1967, Frey was appointed the eleventh Bishop of Savannah, Georgia, by Pope Paul VI.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 8 from Archbishop Philip Hannan, with Bishops Charles Pasquale Greco and Robert Emmet Tracy serving as co-consecrators.[3] He selected as his episcopal motto: Serviam (Latin: "I will serve").[5] During his tenure, he launced the Social Apostolate, a social service agency designed "to put people in the pews in touch with the poor."[6] He also encouraged every church in the diocese to establish a parish council.[6]
On November 7, 1972, Frey was appointed the third Bishop of Lafayette in his native Louisiana.[3] During his tenure, he initiated reorganization plans that increased and expanded participation by clergy, religious, and laity in diocesan affairs.[7] He also named the first woman to serve as chancellor of a Catholic diocese in the United States.[4] In 1987 he opened a diocesan synod.[4]
Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Frey resigned as Bishop of Lafayette on May 13, 1989.[3] He was succeeded by his coadjutor bishop, Harry Flynn (who would later become Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis). Frey retired to a family compound in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[8] His brother Jerome drove to Bay St. Louis to rescue him, returning him to Louisiana.[8] Frey spent the remainder of his life first at Consolata Nursing Home in New Iberia and later in a private home in Lafayette provided by the diocese.[8] He died after a lengthy illness at age 93.[4] He is buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist.[4]
| Preceded by Thomas Joseph McDonough |
Bishop of Savannah 1967—1972 |
Succeeded by Raymond W. Lessard |
| Preceded by Maurice Schexnayder |
Bishop of Lafayette in Louisiana 1972—1989 |
Succeeded by Harry Flynn |