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George William Ahr (June 23, 1904 – May 5, 1993) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Trenton in New Jersey from 1950 to 1979.

Biography

Early life

George Ahr was born on June 23, 1904, in Newark, New Jersey. He attended St. Ann's Grammar School and St. Benedict's Preparatory School, both in Newark. He then studied at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

After completing his theological studies in Rome at the Pontifical North American College, Ahr was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Newark on July 29, 1928. He later earned a doctorate in sacred theology in 1929.

Following his return to New Jersey, Ahr first served as a curate at St. Mary's Parish in Jersey City. He then served at St. Venantius Parish in Orange, New Jersey, until 1930, when he became a professor at Seton Hall Preparatory School. Ahr was named professor of dogmatic theology (1933) and later rector (1947) at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall

Bishop of Trenton

On January 28, 1950, Ahr was appointed the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Trenton by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on March 20, 1950, from Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh, with Bishops Bartholomew J. Eustace and Thomas A. Boland serving as co-consecrators. During his tenure, the number of Catholics in the diocese rose from 300,000 to 850,000. Ahr founded 50 parishes and dedicated 100 new churches, 90 schools, and over 60 other buildings. He attended the Second Vatican Council in Rome from 1962 to 1965. Ahr perceived a growing anti-clericalism in the United States, and opposed the Christian Layman's Experimental Organization.

Retirement and legacy

On June 23, 1979, Pope John Paul II accepted Ahr's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Trenton; he was the longest-serving bishop of Trenton. George Ahr died at Morris Hall Home of the Aged in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, on May 5, 1993, at age 88.

References

1. ^ "Obituary". The New York Times. May 8, 1993.
2. ^ "Bishop George William Ahr". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
3. "The Lowly Catholic Layman". Time. August 17, 1962. Archived from the original on November 27, 2005.
4. "The Underground Church". Time. September 29, 1967. Archived from the original on December 15, 2008.

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton
Ordinaries	Bishops Michael J. O'Farrell James A. McFaul Thomas J. Walsh John J. McMahon Moses E. Kiley William A. Griffin George W. Ahr John C. Reiss John M. Smith David M. O'Connell
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, Trenton Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold Parishes Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Moorestown Sacred Heart Church, Trenton Saint Agnes Catholic Church, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, Medford Lakes
Education	Primary schools St. Paul's School High schools Donovan Catholic High School, Toms River Mater Dei High School, New Monmouth Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville Red Bank Catholic High School, Red Bank St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel St. Rose High School, Belmar Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton Primary schools, independent Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart High schools, independent Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton Villa Victoria Academy, Ewing Township Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran
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• 1904 births
• 1993 deaths
• Saint Vincent College alumni
• Seton Hall University alumni
• Clergy from Newark, New Jersey
• Participants in the Second Vatican Council
• 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
• Roman Catholic bishops of Trenton