Raymond W. Lessard

Raymond William Lessard (December 21, 1930 – January 3, 2016) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 12th bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia from 1973 to 1995.

Styles of
Raymond Lessard
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleMonsignor
Posthumous stylenot applicable

Biography

Early life, education, and priesthood

Raymond Lessard was born in Grafton, North Dakota, to a largely French-Canadian family. An early ancestor, who had emigrated to Canada from Normandy, donated a piece of land for the construction of the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.[1] Lessard was raised on a farm and educated at St. Aloysius Academy.

He studied at St. Paul Seminary in Minnesota, and was ordained to the priesthood on December 16, 1956, for the Diocese of Fargo. Lessard later worked at the Vatican both during and after the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) as an official of the Consistorial Congregation.[2]

Bishop of Savannah

On March 5, 1973, Lessard was appointed the twelfth Bishop of Savannah by Pope Paul VI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 27 from Archbishop Thomas Donnellan, with Bishops Justin Driscoll and Francis Gossman serving as co-consecrators. He once served as liaison between Catholic bishops and married Episcopalian clergy seeking Catholic ordination.[3] As a bishop of the Southern United States, he has described racism as "the paramount social problem affecting our area".[4]

Resignation and academic career

Lessard, due to his chronic back problems,[5] resigned as Bishop on February 7, 1995, after twenty-one years of service. He then became a professor at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida, where he taught ecclesiology.

Within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Lessard has chaired the Committee for Pastoral Research and Practices.

Death

Lessard died at his home, on January 3, 2016, at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, in Boynton Beach, Florida.[6]

Sex abuse scandal and cover-up
Main article: Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic diocese of Savannah

In October, 2009, the diocese of Savannah paid $4.24 million to settle a lawsuit which alleged that Lessard allowed a priest named Wayland Brown to work in the diocese when Lessard knew that Brown was a serial child molester who posed a danger to children.[7]

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See also

References
  1. La Société. Bishop Lessard's 1975 visit to Ste. Anne de Beaupre
  2. Catholic News Service. Collegiality in the Church: Vatican II Debate Continues Today October 12, 2005
  3. The Georgia Bulletin. 1978 -- A Very Good Year January 4, 1979
  4. The Georgia Bulletin. The Klan and Catholics -- An Analysis August 5, 1982
  5. Catholic News Service. U.S. Experts At Vatican II Recall History-Making Years October 12, 2005
  6. 'Bishop Lessard, who head Savannah Diocese for 22 years, died Sunday,' Savannah Morning News (Savannahnow.com), Jan Skutch, January 4, 2016
  7. SavannahNow.com. Diocese to pay $4M for abuse October 29, 2009
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
–		 Bishop Emeritus of Savannah
1995–Present		 Succeeded by
–
Preceded by
Gerard Louis Frey		 Bishop of Savannah
1973–1995		 Succeeded by
John Kevin Boland
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