George John Rehring
Encyclopedia
George John Rehring was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Toledo
from 1950 to 1967.
, to Bernard L. and Mary A. (née Sander) Rehring. He attended St. Gregory's Preparatory Seminary and Mount St. Mary's Seminary
, both in Cincinnati. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on March 28, 1914. He served as a curate
at St. Mary's Church in Hillsboro
before being assigned to SS. Peter and Paul Church in Reading
. In 1921, he received his first pastor
ate at Guardian Angels Church in Cincinnati.
He became professor of theology
at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in 1923. From 1926 to 1928, he continued his studies at the Angelicum in Rome
, where he earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology
degree. He served as rector
of Mount St. Mary's Seminary from 1931 to 1940. He was named a domestic prelate
in 1932.
On August 6, 1937, Rehring was appointed auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
and titular bishop
of Lunda by Pope Pius XI
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following October 7 from Archbishop John T. McNicholas
, with Bishops Joseph H. Albers
and Urban John Vehr serving as co-consecrators
. As an auxiliary bishop, he served as pastor of St. Mary's Church in the Hyde Park section of Cincinnati from 1940 to 1950.
Rehring was named the fourth Bishop of Toledo
on July 16, 1950. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
between 1962 and 1965. After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned as bishop of Toledo on February 25, 1967; on the same date, he was appointed titular bishop of Tunnuna, a post which he resigned on December 31, 1970.
Rehring died at age 85.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Toledo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo is a Roman Catholic diocese covering nineteen counties in Ohio. It was established April 15, 1910. Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is the mother church of the diocese.-Bishops:...
from 1950 to 1967.
Biography
Rehring was born in Cincinnati, OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to Bernard L. and Mary A. (née Sander) Rehring. He attended St. Gregory's Preparatory Seminary and Mount St. Mary's Seminary
Athenaeum of Ohio
The Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, originally St. Francis Xavier Seminary, is the third-oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is currently located at 6616 Beechmont Avenue in the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood of Mt. Washington, in the former Saint...
, both in Cincinnati. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on March 28, 1914. He served as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Mary's Church in Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Ohio
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,605 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at ....
before being assigned to SS. Peter and Paul Church in Reading
Reading, Ohio
Reading is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 11,292 at the 2000 census. It is a suburb of Cincinnati. Reading is also the Home of 2003 Division 3 State Boys Basketball Champions...
. In 1921, he received his first pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
ate at Guardian Angels Church in Cincinnati.
He became professor of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in 1923. From 1926 to 1928, he continued his studies at the Angelicum in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he earned a Doctor of Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
degree. He served as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Mount St. Mary's Seminary from 1931 to 1940. He was named a domestic prelate
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1932.
On August 6, 1937, Rehring was appointed auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
and titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Lunda by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following October 7 from Archbishop John T. McNicholas
John T. McNicholas
John Timothy McNicholas, O.P. was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. A Dominican, he served as Bishop of Duluth and Archbishop of Cincinnati .-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Joseph H. Albers
Joseph H. Albers
Joseph H. Albers D.D. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1929 at the age of 38, he was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, making him one of the youngest Roman Catholic bishops in the country. He continued in this role until he was assigned to establish the new Diocese of Lansing, Michigan...
and Urban John Vehr serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. As an auxiliary bishop, he served as pastor of St. Mary's Church in the Hyde Park section of Cincinnati from 1940 to 1950.
Rehring was named the fourth Bishop of Toledo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo is a Roman Catholic diocese covering nineteen counties in Ohio. It was established April 15, 1910. Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is the mother church of the diocese.-Bishops:...
on July 16, 1950. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
between 1962 and 1965. After reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, he resigned as bishop of Toledo on February 25, 1967; on the same date, he was appointed titular bishop of Tunnuna, a post which he resigned on December 31, 1970.
Rehring died at age 85.