Michael Portier
| Bishop Michael Portier | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Mobile | |
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Mobile |
| In office | May 15, 1829 – May 14, 1859 |
| Successor | John Quinlan |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 16, 1818 |
| Consecration | August 26, 1825 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 7, 1795 Montbrison, France |
| Died | May 14, 1859 (aged 63) Mobile, Alabama, United States |
| Signature |  |
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Styles of Michael Portier |
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|---|---|
.svg) |
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| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | His Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Bishop Michael Portier (September 7, 1795, Montbrison, France – May 14, 1859, Mobile, Alabama) was a Roman Catholic bishop in the United States and the first Bishop of Mobile. He immigrated to the US in 1817, being ordained there. He later founded many parishes and Catholic institutions in Alabama and Florida, particularly in Mobile. Among them was Providence Hospital. He also recruited religious orders of men and women to teach and care for parishioners.
Michel Portier was born and educated in France. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 22 in 1817 with the goal of becoming a priest. After completing his studies at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas, by Bishop Louis William Valentine Dubourg, on May 16, 1818. Eight years later, on August 26, 1825, he was consecrated titular Bishop of Oleno by Bishop Joseph Rosati. He became the only Vicar Apostolic of the new Vicariate of Alabama and the Floridas.
At the time of his accession, Portier was the only clergyman in the vicariate and had three parishes, Mobile, St. Augustine, and Pensacola. His parishioners were Catholics who were descendants of colonial era peoples, including ethnic French, Spanish, German and African of former French and Spanish territories. Bishop Portier began his administration by riding through his vicariate, offering the Holy Eucharist, preaching, and administering the Sacraments as he went.
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