Alphonse Joseph Glorieux

Bishop Alphonse Joseph Glorieux (February 1, 1844–August 25, 1917) was a Belgian missionary Roman Catholic bishop, who served as the first bishop of Boise, Idaho.

Beginning in Belgium

Glorieux was born on 1 February 1844 to a Belgian family in the commune of Dottignies, in what is now the municipality of Mouscron in the Wallonian part of Belgium.cite web | title=Bishop Alphonse Joseph Glorieux | work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org | url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bglorieux.html | accessdate=2007-04-15] As a young man, he entered the seminary, specifically The American College of the Immaculate Conception in Louvain, with intent to go to the American missions.cite web | title=The American College at Louvain | work=1917 Catholic Encyclopedia | url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01424a.htm | accessdate=2007-04-15] He was ordained a priest on the 17 August 1867, and was sent to the United States.cite web | title=Bishop Alphonse Joseph Glorieux | work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org | url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bglorieux.html | accessdate=2007-04-15]

Ministry in the United States

Glorieux made his way west, and took a position as first president of St. Michael's College, a school for boys that opened in Portland, Oregon in 1871.cite web | title=Oregon | work=1917 Catholic Encyclopedia | url=http://www.catholicity.com/encyclopedia/o/oregon.html | accessdate=2007-04-15] On 7 October 1884, he was appointed vicar apostolic of the Idaho Territory, after an eight year interregnum following the resignation of fellow Belgian Louis Aloysius Lootens as vicar apostolic. He was consecrated bishop on 19 April 1885 in the Baltimore Basilica of the Assumption, while attending the Third Council of Baltimore.cite web | title=History of the Diocese of Boise | author=Donald Fraser | work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise website | url=http://www.catholicidaho.org/history.cfm | accessdate=2007-04-15]

The diocese of Boise was erected on 25 August 1893, and Glorieux was appointed bishop of the newborn diocese.cite web | title=Diocese of Boise City | work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org | url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbois.html | accessdate=2007-04-15] The diocese was set at its present boundaries at that time, and Glorieux made the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Boise his cathedral.cite web | title=History of the Diocese of Boise | author=Donald Fraser | work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise website | url=http://www.catholicidaho.org/history.cfm | accessdate=2007-04-15]

Glorieux died on 25 August 1917, and was succeeded by Daniel Mary Gorman.cite web | title=Diocese of Boise City | work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org | url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbois.html | accessdate=2007-04-15]

References

External links

* [http://www.catholicidaho.org Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise]