George Dwyer
| The Most Reverend George Patrick Dwyer | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Birmingham | |
| Archdiocese | Birmingham |
| See | Birmingham |
| Appointed | 5 October 1965 |
| Term ended | 1 September 1981 |
| Predecessor | Francis Grimshaw |
| Successor | Maurice Couve de Murville |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1 November 1932 |
| Consecration |
24 September 1957 by John Carmel Heenan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 September 1908 Manchester, England |
| Died |
17 September 1987 (aged 78) Birmingham, England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post | Bishop of Leeds (1957-1965) |
George Patrick Dwyer (25 September 1908, Manchester – 17 September 1987) was Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham from 1965 to 1981.
Life and ministry
The son of John William Dwyer, a wholesale egg and potato merchant, and his wife Jemima, and also a cousin of Anthony Burgess,[1] he was educated at St Bede's College, Manchester (1919–26), then at the Venerable English College, Rome after being accepted by the Salford Diocese as a candidate for the priesthood. Dwyer proved an outstanding student, and was awarded doctorates in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained priest on 1 November 1932, and returned to England to study languages at Christ's College, Cambridge.[2]
Following postgraduate studies in Rome and Cambridge from 1932 to 1937, he returned to St Bede's as a member of the teaching staff before joining the Catholic Missionary Society as vice-superior in 1947. He also edited the Catholic Gazette for four years until his appointment as Superior of the Catholic Missionary Society in 1951.
He was consecrated bishop on 24 September 1957 following his appointment as Bishop of Leeds, before his appointment as Archbishop of Birmingham in October 1965.
After the death of John Carmel Heenan (a close friend of Dwyer's) in 1975, Dwyer was seen by some as a natural successor as Archbishop of Westminster. However, Dwyer informed the Apostolic Delegate he felt that at sixty-seven his age was too great for him to be considered for the post. He was, however, elected president of the Bishops' Conference during the first three years of Basil Hume's episcopate, becoming the first bishop to hold that position who was not also Archbishop of Westminster.[2]
Dwyer is buried at Oscott College.
His coat of arms is blazoned, 'Argent on a saltire Gules a jousting spear Or' thus incorporating the names of St Patrick and St George. His motto was Spe Gaudentes (Rejoicing in Hope).
References
- ↑ "Liana Burgess", Daily Telegraph, 6 December 2007 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1571513/Liana-Burgess.html .
- 1 2 Worlock, Derek (2004). "Dwyer, George Patrick (1908–1987)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
- The Birmingham Post Year Book and Who's Who 1973-74, Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd, July 1973
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Carmel Heenan |
Bishop of Leeds 1957–1965 |
Succeeded by William Gordon Wheeler |
| Preceded by Francis Joseph Grimshaw |
Archbishop of Birmingham 1965–1981 |
Succeeded by Maurice Noël Léon Couve de Murville |
