Eugene Antonio Marino

Infobox bishopbiog
name = Most Rev. Eugene Antonio Marino †


religion = Roman Catholic Church
See = Atlanta
Title = Archbishop of Atlanta
Period = 14 March 1988 — 10 July 1990
Predecessor = Most Rev. Thomas Andrew Donnellan †
Successor = Most Rev. James Patterson Lyke †
date of birth = birth date|1934|5|29|mf=y
place of birth = Biloxi, Mississippi
date of death = death date and age|2000|11|12|1934|5|29|mf=y
place of death = Long Island, New York

Eugene Antonio Marino (May 29 1934 - November 12 2000) was an American Catholic archbishop. As archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia from 1989 until 1990 he became the first African American archbishop in United States of America. He was of both African American and Puerto Rican descent.

He was also the fourth African American to become auxiliary bishop for Washington, D.C. and the first to be secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. As archbishop of Atlanta, he tackled the conduct of other priests until his resignation after his affair with a lay-minister became public knowledge.

Early life

Marino was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, the sixth of a total of eight children to baker and Puerto Rican immigrant Jesus Maria Marino and Lottie Irene Bradford Marino, a maid. From 1952 to 1956 he attended Epiphany Episcopal College in New York and went on to St. Joseph's Seminary in 1962 where he was ordained as a priest in the same year. He then went on to continue his education at Loyola University and Fordham University in The Bronx, New York City, graduating in 1967.

During his education at university, Marino also taught at Epiphany Apostolic College and following his graduation he was the spiritual director at St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington, D.C. from 1968 until 1971, when be became vicar general of the Josephites. From September 12 1974 until 1988 he was the auxiliary bishop for Washington, D.C., the fourth African American ever to hold this position, as well as becoming the secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1985, the first African American to hold that position. In 1987 he organised a trip for a number of African American Catholics to see Pope John Paul II, and during a talk with these men and women, he stated:

Archbishop of Atlanta

Marino went on to become the first African American archbishop in American history when he was ordained as Archbishop of Atlanta on 14 March 1988, becoming involved in efforts to address the sexual misconduct of priests, including the conviction of one on child molestation charges. Marino, however, was himself engaged in an affair with a lay-minister during this period, which became public knowledge in 1990. The lay minister, Vicki Long, revealed that she had been secretly married to Marino in 1988 and then proceeded to file for divorce as well as attempt suicide. ["Eugene Marino, 1st Black Catholic Archbishop, Dies Of Heart Attack In Atlanta" - [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_26_98/ai_68018831 Obituary] December 4, 2000. Retrieved on April 3 2007]

Following these events, after just two years as archbishop of Atlanta, Marino resigned on 10 July 1990 and cited "spiritual renewal, psychological therapy and medical supervision" as the reason. He then took a six-week long period of counselling. Retaining his title of archbishop, Marino quietly returned to Michigan and took a post as chaplain at the Sisters of Mercy in Alma up until 1995. From this posting until his death in 2000 he worked in a counselling program at St. Vincent's Hospital in Harrison, New York, counselling on sexual behaviour and substance abuse.

Death

On the early morning of November 12 2000, while at St. Ignatius Retreat House on Long Island acting as a councillor and confidant for the personal problems of fellow priests and nuns, Marino died aged 66. He was discovered in bed by the housekeeper and it was established that he had died of a heart attack. He was buried in Biloxi, Mississippi. Of his eight siblings, one brother and four sisters survive him. ["Eugene Marino, 1st Black Catholic Archbishop, Dies Of Heart Attack In Atlanta" - [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_26_98/ai_68018831 Obituary] December 4, 2000. Retrieved on April 3 2007]

References