Peter Bourgade

Peter Bourgade (October 17, 1845 – May 17, 1908) was a French-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Tucson (1885–1899) and Archbishop of Santa Fe (1899–1908).

Bourgade was born in Vollore-Ville, Puy-de-Dôme, and studied at the College of Billom and the Grand Seminary of Montferrand.^[1] In 1869 he accepted an invitation from Bishop Jean-Baptiste Salpointe to join the Apostolic Vicariate of Arizona in the United States, where he was ordained to the priesthood on November 30, 1869.^[2] He was first assigned to Yuma, and returned to France in 1873 to strengthen his failing health.^[1] Following his return to the United States, he was pastor of San Elizario, Texas, from 1875 until 1881, when he was transferred to Silver City, New Mexico.^[1]

On February 7, 1885, Bourgade was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Arizona and Titular Bishop of Thaumacus by Pope Leo XIII.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 1 from Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, with Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Salpointe and Bishop Joseph Projectus Machebeuf serving as co-consecrators.^[2] The vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Tucson on May 8, 1897, and Bourgade was named its first Bishop.^[2] He there established of twelve schools and orphanages.^[3]

On January 7, 1899, he was named the fourth Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico.^[2] The territory under his jurisdiction in 1902 contained 66 priests, 42 churches, 340 missions, stations and chapels, three academies for boys and six for girls, and a Catholic population of about 133,000.^[1] Bourgade later died from heart failure, aged 62.^[3] He is buried in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi.^[3]

References