Peter Bourgade

Who was Peter Bourgade?

Peter Bourgade was a French-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Tucson and Archbishop of Santa Fe.

Bourgade was born in Vollore-Ville, Puy-de-Dôme, and studied at the College of Billone and the Grand Seminary of Montferrand. In 1869 he accepted an invitation from Bishop Jean-Baptiste Salpointe to join the Apostolic Vicariate of Arizona in the United States, where he was ordained to the priesthood on November 30, 1869. He was first assigned to Yuma, and returned to France in 1873 to strengthen his failing health. Following his return to the United States, he was pastor of San Elizario, Texas, from 1875 until 1881, when he was transferred to Silver City, New Mexico.

On February 7, 1885, Bourgade was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Arizona and Titular Bishop of Thaumacus by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 1 from Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, with Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Salpointe and Bishop Joseph Projectus Machebeuf serving as co-consecrators. The vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Tucson on May 8, 1897, and Bourgade was named its first Bishop. He there established of twelve schools and orphanages.