Gerald Thomas Bergan (January 26, 1892 – July 12, 1972) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines in Iowa (1934–1948) and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Omaha in Nebraska (1948–1969).
On March 24, 1934, Bergan was appointed the third bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines by Pope Pius XI.[3] He received his episcopalconsecration on June 13, 1934, from Cardinal George Mundelein, with Bishops Joseph Schlarman and Henry Rohlman serving as co-consecrators.[3] He established a diocesan newspaper called The Messenger.[4] At the eighth National Eucharistic Congress in 1941, he spoke on labor-management relations, asserting that the employer must permit workers to engage in collective bargaining.[5] He also called for a single union for both labor and capital, and suggested that long-serving employees should have a share in the management of an enterprise.[5]
Archbishop of Omaha
Bergan was named by Pius XII as the second archbishop of the Archdiocese of Omaha on February 7, 1948.[3] During his administration, more than $80 million was spent for new Catholic schools, churches, and hospitals in the archdiocese.[5] This caused him to become known as the "building bishop".[6] Between 1962 and 1965, Bergan attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome.
Retirement and legacy
On June 11, 1969, Pope Paul VI accepted Bergan's resignation as archbishop of Omaha and appointed him as Titular Archbishop of Tacarata.[3] He resigned his titular see on January 28, 1971.[3]
