Daniel James Gercke
Daniel James Gercke was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Tucson from 1923 to 1960.
Gercke was born in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Christopher and Catherine Gercke. He attended St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1891. He completed his theological studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Patrick John Ryan on June 1, 1901.
He then served as a curate at in Girardville and afterwards at Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia. He briefly served at St. Mary's in Philadelphia before going to Vigan City, Philippines, in 1903. He served as vicar general of the Diocese of Nueva Cáceres from 1910 to 1919. He was named a Domestic Prelate by Pope Benedict XV in 1915, and returned to Philadelphia in 1919. He then served as rector of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul.
On June 21, 1923, Gercke was appointed the third Bishop of Tucson, Arizona, by Pope Pius XI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following November 6 from Cardinal Dennis Joseph Dougherty, with Bishops John Bernard MacGinley and James Paul McCloskey serving as co-consecrators. He was the first-American born head of the Tucson diocese. After thirty-seven years as bishop, he retired on September 28, 1960; he was named Titular Archbishop of Cotyaeum by Pope John XXIII on the same date.
Gercke later died at age 89.
