The Archdiocese of Newark has announced funeral arrangements for retired Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety, who died Tuesday at age 104.
Gerety, a widely admired figure known for aiding the cause of social justice, served as archbishop for 12 years, from 1974 to 1986, before retiring. He had previously served as bishop of Portland, Maine.
His body is expected to arrive at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark at 3 p.m. Sunday, followed by a public viewing from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. An evening prayer will take place at 7 p.m.
A second viewing will be held at the cathedral from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday. Newark Archbishop John J. Myers is scheduled to preside over a funeral Mass for Gerety at 3 p.m.
Msgr John E. Doran will give the homily.
Interment will follow immediately afterward in the cathedral's crypt.
The cathedral's address is 89 Ridge St. in Newark. The main entrance is on 6th Avenue between Ridge Street and Clifton Avenue.
Gerety, the world's oldest Roman Catholic bishop, died Tuesday night in his room at St. Joseph's Home for the Elderly in Totowa. The facility is run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Over the course of his 77 years as a priest, he became known for his support of racial equality, the rights of women and church reforms spawned by the Second Vatican Council. In his early years, he founded the first African-American Roman Catholic parish in Connecticut.
Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.