Curtis J. Guillory

Curtis John Guillory, S.V.D. (born September 1, 1943) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church and member of the Society of the Divine Word. Guillory served as Bishop of Beaumont from 2000 to 2020. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston–Houston from 1988 to 2000, the first Black Catholic bishop in Texas history.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Curtis John Guillory D.D., S.V.D.
Bishop Emeritus of Beaumont
Church	Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Beaumont
Appointed	June 2, 2000
Installed	July 28, 2000
Retired	June 9, 2020
Predecessor	Joseph Anthony Galante
Successor	David Toups
Previous post	Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston–Houston (1988–2000)
Orders
Ordination	December 16, 1972 by Carlos Ambrosio Lewis Tullock
Consecration	February 19, 1988 by Joseph Fiorenza, Philip Hannan, and J. Terry Steib
Personal details
Born	(1943-09-01) September 1, 1943 (age 82) Mallet, Louisiana, US
Education	Divine Word College Catholic Theological Union
Motto	Diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur (For those who love God, all things work together for good)

Styles of Curtis John Guillory
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Biography

Early years

Curtis Guillory was born on September 1, 1943, to Wilfred and Theresa Guillory (née Jardoin) on September 1, 1943, in Bayou Mallet, Louisiana. He is the oldest of 17 children (six sons, and eleven daughters).^[1]

Guillory is a descendant of Louisiana free people of color. His father owned a small farm and worked on another one. Curtis and his siblings helped staff the farm.^[1] Curtis entered the Society of Divine Word's St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where he played on the seminary baseball team. In a 2020 interview with the Beaumont Enterprise, Guillory recalled that both his parents were hospitalized at one point.^[2]

In 1968, Guillory earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Divine Word College at Epworth, Iowa, in 1968. He later earned a Master of Divinity degree at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois.^[1]

Priesthood

On December 16, 1972, Guillory was ordained to the priesthood for the Society of Divine Word at his home parish of St. Ann in Mallet Bayou by Auxiliary Bishop Carlos Ambrosio Lewis Tullock from the Archdiocese of Panamá.^[3][4] The Society first sent Guillory to St. Augustine Parish in New Orleans. He served three years there as an associate pastor and six years as pastor.^{[citation needed]}

Guillory was the founding director of the Tolton House of Studies in New Orleans, the seminary residence for Divine Word students. Guillory also served as a member of the executive committee of the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators, the Louisiana One Church/One Family adoption program, national chaplain to the Knights of Peter Claver, a member of the archdiocesan presbyteral council, and a board member of the Spirituality Center.^[1]

In 1986, Guillory earned a Master of Christian Spirituality degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He completed a summer workshop in Jungian psychology in Switzerland. In September 1987, Guillory coordinated the visit of Pope John Paul II to New Orleans.^{[citation needed]}

Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston–Houston

On December 29, 1987, John Paul II appointed Guillory as auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Galveston–Houston. He was consecrated on February 19, 1988. For his episcopal motto, Guillory chose Romans 8:28: "For those who love God, all things work together for good."^[4]

In the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Guillory was selected chair of the Committee of African American Catholics. Guillory also served on the national committee on Hispanic Affairs and Priestly Life and Ministry, and the boards of Sacred Heart Seminary and Xavier University in New Orleans. He was a board member of the YMCA, the Mental Health Association, and the Harris County Hospital District in Harris County, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

Bishop of Beaumont

St Anthony Cathedral Basilica, Beaumont, Texas (2008)

On June 2, 2000, John Paul II appointed Guillory bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont. He was installed on July 28, 2000.^[4] Guillory was the first African American bishop to lead a Texas diocese and the first Beaumont bishop to belong to a religious congregation. He remained a member of the Society of the Divine Word, but an active bishop was not under its jurisdiction.

While in Beaumont, Guillory established the St. Anthony Cathedral as a basilica, built a Catholic chapel at Lamar University in Beaumont and established a new Catholic Pastoral Center. He also created the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Beaumont and started a capital campaign for it.^[1][2] In 2016, Guillory received the Rabbi Samuel Rosinger Humanitarian Award, presented by Temple Emanuel in Beaumont, Texas.^[1]

Retirement and legacy

Pope Francis accepted Guillory's resignation on June 9, 2020. and named David Toups as his successor.^[5]