[3] In 1942, Gerety was appointed a curate at St. Brendan Parish and the director of Blessed Martin de Porres Center, both in New Haven.

[6] During his tenure at St. Martin's, Gerety became an outspoken advocate for the American Civil Rights Movement and supported programs to eliminate poverty.

[5] During his tenure in Portland, he implemented what were perceived to be the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council by modernizing the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, through the removal of the high altar, cathedra, pulpit, and communion rail.

[7] In 1969, Gerety led a campaign against a bill in the state legislature to legalize abortions[8] That same year, he called on Maine food retailers to stop selling California grapes, in support of the United Farm Workers' dispute with growers.

[8] He also defended the rights of conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War and appealed to the Maine congressional delegation to modify the Selective Service Act.

[2] In 1976, Gerety sent a letter to the Democratic National Convention to protest the party's platform on abortion, which he described as "the bloody horror of the callous elimination of hundreds of thousands of God's most defenseless little ones, our own flesh and blood.

[4] A year prior to his resignation, the Archbishop addressed the charismatic covenant community known as the People of Hope, a branch of the Sword of the Spirit.

On December 8, 1985, Gerety addressed the People of Hope at length, informing them of the process they would be involved in over the next year to bring them into compliance with his expectations of a 'Catholic' organization, approved by the Archdiocese.

The People of Hope however claimed they were not subject to his authority as they were members of the Sword of the Spirit, an umbrella organization of Covenant Communities out of Ann Arbor, MI.

See the collection of official correspondence between the Archbishop, his delegate, the People of Hope and the Sword of the Spirit at https://www.scribd.com/document/76728560 [11][self-published source]

I will be 74 years old next month and I told the Holy Father in my letter of resignation that for the good of God's Church and for my own peace of mind, I believe it is time of a younger man to take over the reins of office here in Newark.

[12] Gerety died in Totowa, New Jersey, on September 20, 2016, aged 104, and was the world's oldest living Catholic bishop at the time.