Archbishop-Designate Gregory Aymond was born on Nov. 12, 1949, in New Orleans.

He graduated from Notre Dame Seminary in 1975 with a master’s of divinity degree. After graduating from the seminary he engaged in further studies at Loyola’s Institute for Ministry.

Bishop Aymond was ordained to the priesthood on May 10, 1975. After his priestly ordination he served as a parish priest and high school teacher. He was appointed to the faculty of Notre Dame Seminary in 1981 as the director of Pastoral Education and a professor of Pastoral Counseling and Homiletics. He served in this capacity until 1986, when he was appointed president/rector of Notre Dame Seminary; he served as rector for 14 years.

During his ministry in New Orleans, he served as the director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith as well as a member of the national board of the Society from 1977 to 2000. He was also the founder and director of the Christ the Healer Medical Mission Program of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in Granada, Nicaragua.

Bishop Aymond was ordained auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans on Jan. 10, 1997 and the titular bishop of the Diocese of Acolla. He was appointed as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Austin on June 2, 2000, and became the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Austin on Jan. 2, 2001.

On June 12, 2009, he was appointed the 14th Archbishop of New Orleans by Pope Benedict XVI. He is the first New Orleans native to become archbishop of New Orleans.

Since his arrival in Austin, the diocese has seen unprecedented growth, including the development of an Institute for Spiritual Direction; the opening of San Juan Diego Catholic High School, which specifically targets financially disadvantaged students; the opening of St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School; and a program with St. Mary's University in San Antonio that allows lay people in the Austin Diocese to obtain a master's degree in theology using distance learning technology; and a three-fold increase in the number of seminarians.

Bishop Aymond has also served the church on the national and international level.

June 2009