Louis de Goesbriand

Goesbriand was born in Saint-Urbain, Finistère, and studied at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris.[1] He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Rosati, C.M., on July 13, 1840.[2] After arriving in the United States, he did pastoral work in the Diocese of Cincinnati, Ohio, from 1840 to 1847 and then in the Diocese of Cleveland (where he served as vicar general)[3] until 1853.[1]

On July 29, 1853, Louis de Goesbriand was appointed the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Burlington, Vermont, by Pope Pius IX.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 30 from Archbishop Gaetano Bedini, with Bishops John McCloskey and Louis Amadeus Rappe serving as co-consecrators.[2][4] He began his new diocese with five priests, ten churches, and about 20,000 Catholics.[5]

In 1855, he went to Europe in January to secure priests from Ireland and his native France, and held the first diocesan synod during the following October.[5] There were at least 50 priests and 30 new parishes in the Burlington Diocese by the end of his episcopate.[3] He also attended the Plenary Councils of Baltimore (1866, 1884) and the First Vatican Council (1869–1870).[1] In 1893, he trusted the active administration of the diocese to his coadjutor, Bishop John Stephen Michaud.[3] Between 1891 and 1897, Goesbriand translated the works of Pierre Chaignon, S.J. from French to English, including Meditations for the Use of the Secular Clergy and The Sacrifice of the Mass Worthily Celebrated.

Bishop de Goesbriand later died at St. Joseph's Orphan Home[6] age 83, as the oldest bishop in the United States.[3] He is buried at Resurrection Park in South Burlington.[1]