Gerard William Battersby

Battersby was born in Detroit on May 15, 1960, to Christopher and Helen (Buckley) Battersby. He attended St. Benedict Parish and Lamphere Public Schools in Madison Heights, Michigan[1] [2] Battersby attended Wayne State University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in biology. While on a college trip to the British Isles, Battersby said he first realized that he would eventually become a priest

“When I was in Ireland, I had an experience over the Easter week — actually I was at a youth hostel in Scotland — and I was musing about my life. One morning I woke up very early and I had what I guess I now would call an illumination: I knew I was going to be a priest. I had no previous desire or inkling — as a typical Catholic boy that was always somewhere in the background, but it was never in the forefront — but I really felt very strongly that that was the case.[2]

Although his original plan was to go to medical school, Battersby decided after graduation to work for a pharmaceutical company. He later became an appraiser in his father' business.[3][2]

In 1993, Battersby decided to enter seminary. He graduated from Sacred Heart Major Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1998. On May 30, 1998, he was ordained to the priesthood. [1] Battersby then served as an associate pastor at St. Thecla Parish in Clinton Township, Presentation/Our Lady of Victory Parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and St. Gerard Parish, all in Detroit.[1]

On November 23, 2016, Pope Francis appointed Battersby titular bishop of Eguga and auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit .[4][5] On January 25, 2017, Battersby was consecrated by Archbishop Allen Vigneron.

Battersby's episcopal lineage[6] dates back through Popes Pius X (1884),[6] Clement XIII (1743), Benedict XIV (1724), and Benedict XIII (1675).[7]

In March 2020, Battersby sent a letter to the pastor of Christ the King church, Detroit. It said that the local support group for families of LGBTQ Roman Catholics, Fortunate Families, was forbidden to meet at his church, or anywhere else within the archdiocesan boundaries, The letter also said that the group must discontinue its claim to be "Catholic operating in the Archdiocese of Detroit". Battersby wrote that the group's dissent from Catholic teaching presented a danger to their membership. He suggested that their members join with EnCourage, an approved ministry operating in the archdiocese.[8]