Blazon: Gules, an ewer, basin and towel all Argent; on a chief party Argent of Greek crosses Vert, a trefoil and a fleur-de-lis, both Or.
SOURCES, NOTES & CREDITS: The Illustration for background is from the Wikipedia article. The blazon was supplied by the Rev. Fr. Guy Selvester and updated by John Gaylor. The biographic information is from various internet sources such as the Catholic Hierarchy.org. and from the Wikipedia article. He was one of the three auxiliary bishops appointed to date of the Diocese of Manchester and which was our diocese in our younger formative years so remains important in our life.
Bishop Francis Joseph Christian was born in Peterborough, NH on 8 Oct 1942. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 1968 by Bishop Ernest John Primeau, Bishop of Manchester. He gained his PhD in moral theology summa cum laude in 1975 from the University of Louvain in Belgium. He was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Manchester in June 1977. He was named by Pope John Paul II a prelate of Honor in 1986 which made him a Monsignor. He was appointed as the 3rd Auxiliary Bishop of Manchester by Pope John Paul II on 2 Apr 1996. His consecrator was Bishop Leo Edward O’Neil, Bishop of Manchester and co-consecrator Bishop Odore Joseph Gendron Bishop Emeritus of Manchester.
Bishop Christian retired as Auxiliary Bishop on 1 Feb 2018, at age 75. However even in retirement Bishop Christian continues to serve: He is Pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Nasuha, New Hampshire.
Artwork is an interpretation of John Hamilton Gaylor
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