Gregory John Hartmayer

Gregory John Hartmayer, O.F.M. Conv. (born November 21, 1951) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Atlanta since 2020. From 2011 to 2020, Hartmayer served as Bishop of Savannah. He is a member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.

Biography

Early life Gregory Hartmayer was born on November 21, 1951, in Buffalo, New York, one of four children of John and Sally Hartmayer. He has two brothers and a sister. He was raised in Tonawanda, New York, attending St. Amelia School in that town. Hartmayer graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda in 1969. He took his simple vows on August 15, 1970, and made solemn profession on August 15, 1973. Hartmayer studied at St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby, Massachusetts, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy degree in 1974. The Franciscans then assigned Hartmayer to Archbishop Curley High School, where he served as a guidance counselor and teacher (1979 to 1985) and as principal (1985 to 1988). His episcopal consecration took place on October 18, 2011, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah, Georgia. His principal consecrator was Archbishop Wilton Gregory, with Bishops J. Kevin Boland and Luis Zarama as co-consecrators. In November 2018, Hartmayer released a list of 16 clergy from the diocese with credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors.

While serving in Savannah, Hartmayer administered the renovations of two parish schools and the construction of three new churches, one new parish, and one new high school. Hartmayer was appointed to the board of directors of the National Catholic Educational Association in 2019. He was appointed chair of the board in 2024.

Archbishop of Atlanta

Hartmayer was installed as archbishop of Atlanta on May 6, 2020, in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta. The ceremony was held behind closed doors, with only a few attendees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Church journalist Rocco Palmo stated that Hartmayer was Gregory's "chosen successor."

When the Satanic Temple of Atlanta scheduled a black mass in that city in October 2024, Hartmayer announced possible legal action if the organizers planned to use consecrated host in the ceremony. However, they assured the archdiocese that they did not have any sacramental bread, nor were they planning to obtain any.

Hartmayer, in November 2024, announced the launch of a LGBTQ+ Pastoral Affairs Commission to create a dialogue with the LGBTQ+ community. He remarked,I pray that through the creation of this commission we will all come to a better understanding of and respect for each other...After all, we are all children of God, brothers and sisters on this journey. Hartmayer is a member of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Communications and the Committee on National Collections and chair of the Subcommittee on the Catholic Communication Campaign.

Immigration In June 2020, Hartmayer expressed his approval of the US Supreme Court decision that prevented the Trump Administration from terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program for the children of undocumented immigrants. Racism

In November 2021, Hartmeyer commented on the conviction of three white men in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an African-American man, in Glynn County, Georgia. War In 2023, Hartmayer participated in a ceremony with Jewish and Muslim religious leaders to commemorate the dead from the conflicts in Israel, Gaza and Ukraine.