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	Former Bishop Gerard Frey Dead at 93 By Kevin Blanchard The Advocate August 16, 2007 http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/9208047.html Lafayette — Former Bishop Gerard Frey died Thursday after a lengthy illness. He was 93. Frey served as bishop of the Lafayette Roman Catholic Diocese — one of the largest in the nation — from 1972 until 1989. A priest for some 60 years, Frey was the third Bishop of Lafayette and a native of New Orleans, who came to the diocese in 1973 from Savannah, Ga., where he had been bishop for five years. He had been ordained in 1938 in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, serving in pastoral and administrative positions there until his appointment to the episcopacy in 1968. He was serving as pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, Houma, when he received the appointment as Bishop of Savannah. During his 15 years as Bishop of Lafayette, he initiated reorganization plans that increased and expanded participation by clergy, religious and laity in diocesan affairs. It was also during Frey's tenure that the diocese went through a high-profile priest sexual abuse scandal, mostly centered around former priest Gilbert Gauthe, who served 10 years after being convicted in 1985 for molesting altar boys. In 1997, Gauthe was convicted of a 1982 rape of a 12-year-old girl in Vermilion Parish, but later his attorneys successfully argued that his 1985 plea deal precluded him serving any additional jail time. The diocese settled for more than $20 million several lawsuits involving Gauthe. In the mid-1980s, Frey said during a deposition of one of those civil suits that he'd first heard allegations of pedophilia about Gauthe in 1972 or 1973, but was assured by the priest that counseling had resolved the problem. Frey stripped Gauthe of his priestly duties in 1983 after more allegations surfaced. In 1985, Frey talked about his regret. "I ask for the prayers and understanding of all our people and of all people of good will of every faith and belief," Frey said then. "I deeply regret and am distressed by the suffering that has taken place because of the tragic events in the diocese over the past several years." The Lafayette Daily Advertiser reported Thursday that a vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Cathedral. Bishop Frey will be buried in the Cathedral next to the late Bishop Maurice Schexnayder. Contact: kblanchard@theadvocate.com
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