Gerard William Battersby
Gerard William Battersby is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit.Biography
On May 30, 1998, Battersby was ordained to the priesthood. Pope Francis appointed Battersby titular bishop of Eguga and auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit on November 23, 2016. On January 25, 2017, Battersby was consecrated by Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.
Battersby's episcopal lineage dates back through Popes Pius X, Clement XIII, Benedict XIV, and Benedict XIII.
In March 2020, Battersby sent a letter to the pastor of Christ the King church, Detroit, to inform him that the local support group for families of local LGBTQ Roman Catholics, Fortunate Families, were forbidden to meet at his church, or anywhere else within the archdiocesan boundaries, and they must discontinue their claim to be "Catholic operating in the Archdiocese of Detroit". Battersby wrote that their dissent from Catholic teaching presented a danger to their membership. He suggested that their members join with EnCourage, an approved ministry operating in the archdiocese.
