American Catholic bishop (1952?2023)
Fernand Joseph "Ferd" Cheri III
,
OFM
(January 28, 1952 ? March 21, 2023) was an American
prelate
of the
Catholic Church
. A member of the
Order of Friars Minor
, Cheri served as an
auxiliary bishop
of
Archdiocese of New Orleans
from 2015 until his death in 2023.
Biography
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]
Early life
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Fernand Cheri was born on January 28, 1952, in
New Orleans
to Fernand Jr. and Gladys Cheri. He received his high school education at St. John Vianney Preparatory Seminary in New Orleans. He went on to study at St. Joseph Seminary College in
Covington, Louisiana
, and
Notre Dame Seminary
in New Orleans.
[1]
Priesthood
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Cheri was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Archbishop
Philip Hannan
on May 20, 1978.
[2]
After his ordination. Cheri received a
Master of Theology
degree from the
Xavier University of Louisiana
Institute for Black Catholic Studies in New Orleans. Cheri's first pastoral assignment was as the
parochial vicar
at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in New Orleans and St. Joseph the Worker Parish in
Marrero, Louisiana
, serving both parishes until 1984. He then became the
pastor
of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in 1984 and after a year became the pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in New Orleans from 1985 to 1990. Cheri was appointed administrator of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish in New Orleans from 1990 to 1991.
[3]
Cheri entered the novitiate of the Sacred Heart Province of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) in 1992. He professed
solemn vows
in the order on August 26, 1996.
[4]
As a Franciscan, Cheri served as chaplain at
Hales Franciscan High School
in Chicago from 1994 to 1996. He served as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in
Nashville, Tennessee
, from 1996 to 2002. During that time he also served as a member of the provincial council for the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart from 1999 to 2002.
Cheri was assigned to St. Benedict the Black Friary in
East St. Louis, Illinois
, from 2002 to 2007. During these years he was also a guidance counselor and choir director of the "Gospel Crusaders" at
Althoff Catholic High School
in Belleville, IL. He undertook continuing education from 2007 to 2008, and then served as director of the Office of Friar Life in East St. Louis from 2008 to 2009, and as associate director of campus ministry at Xavier University from 2010 to 2011. Cheri then served as director of campus ministry at
Quincy University
in Quincy, Illinois, and as vicar of the Holy Cross Friary in Quincy from 2011 to 2015.
[3]
Cheri has written articles and books on African-American Catholic
liturgy
, and served as an archivist of Black religious music.
[1]
Auxiliary bishop of New Orleans
[
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]
Cheri was named the
Titular bishop
of
Membressa
and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans by
Pope Francis
on January 12, 2015. His episcopal consecration took place on March 23, 2015, at the
Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France
in New Orleans. Archbishop
Gregory Aymond
of New Orleans was the consecrator. Archbishop
Wilton Gregory
and Bishop
J. Terry Steib
were the co-consecrators.
[4]
Death
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Cheri died on 21 March 2023, at the age of 71.
[5]
See also
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References
[
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]
- ^
a
b
"New Orleans receives a native son for new auxiliary bishop"
.
Catholic News Agency
.
EWTN
. January 12, 2015
. Retrieved
March 28,
2015
.
- ^
"Bishops who are not Ordinaries of Sees"
.
GCatholic.org
. Retrieved
March 28,
2015
.
- ^
a
b
Clemmer, Don (January 12, 2015).
"Pope Names Franciscan Father Cheri Auxiliary Bishop Of New Orleans"
.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
. Retrieved
March 28,
2015
.
- ^
a
b
"Bishop Fernand Joseph Cheri III, O.F.M."
Catholic-Hierarchy.org
. Retrieved
March 28,
2015
.
- ^
"Auxiliary Bishop Fernand J. Cheri, III, OFM Dies at 71"
.
nolacatholic.org
. March 21, 2022
. Retrieved
March 22,
2023
.
External links
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