Prosper-Amable Berthet

Born on February 17, 1838, in the hamlet of Les Hières in La Grave, Prosper-Amable Berthet came from a modest family of Dauphiné mountain folk. Spotted for his intellectual qualities, he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1861. After teaching and serving in several parishes in the Hautes-Alpes, he was appointed Bishop of Gap on April 24, 1889. He held this office for twenty-five years until his death in 1914. An attentive pastor and appreciated orator, he marked his diocese with his gentleness and spiritual rigor. Prosper-Amable Berthet passed away on October 25, 1914. His life, entirely dedicated to faith and education, remains a great source of pride for La Grave, his native village perched in the Alps.