George William Coleman

George William Coleman (born February 1, 1939) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is a retired Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts.

Biography

Early life and education

George Coleman was born to George and Beatrice (née Shea) Coleman in Fall River, Massachusetts; he has one sister, Eileen. Raised in Somerset, he attended Village Elementary School and graduated from Monsignor James Coyle High School in Taunton in 1957. Coleman, after studying at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, entered St. John's Seminary in Brighton and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, from where he obtained a licentiate in theology.

Ordination and ministry

While in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Francis Reh on December 16, 1964.

Upon returning to the United States, Coleman served as associate pastor of St. Kilian's Church in New Bedford until 1967. He ministered at St. Louis Church in Fall River (1967–1972) and at Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville (1972–1977) before becoming director of the Diocesan Department of Education. In 1982, he assumed the additional post of pastor of St. Patrick's Parish in Fall River. From 1985 to 1994, Coleman was pastor of Corpus Christi Church in Sandwich, concurrently serving as dean of the Cape and Islands Deanery from 1990 to 1994.

In 1994, he was made vicar general and curial moderator of Fall River by Bishop Seán Patrick O'Malley, OFM Cap, and raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II. Coleman, following Bishop O'Malley's nomination as Bishop of Palm Beach, was chosen to serve as temporary administrator of the diocese in 2002.

Bishop of Fall River

On April 30, 2003, he was appointed to succeed Bishop O'Malley as the seventh Bishop of Fall River by John Paul II. Coleman received his episcopal consecration on the following July 22 from Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo Higuera, with Archbishop Daniel Cronin and Bishop O'Malley serving as co-consecrators.

Bishop Coleman retired in 2014.

Episcopal succession