 Ordained to the priesthood on July 29, 1921, he then did pastoral work in Paris, where he was also the archdiocesan Director of Catholic Works.On May 14, 1929, Gerlier was appointed Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes by Pope Pius XI.He received his episcopal consecration on the following July 2 from Cardinal Louis-Ernest Dubois, with Bishops Benjamin Roland-Gosselin and Maurice Dubourg serving as co-consecrators, in Notre Dame Cathedral.