Joseph Francis Martino

infobox bishopstyles
name=Joseph Martino
dipstyle=The Most Reverend
offstyle=Your Excellency
relstyle=Monsignor
deathstyle=none |

Joseph Francis Martino (born May 1, 1946) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as Bishop of Scranton.

Biography

Joseph Francis Martino was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Joseph F. Martino, Sr. and his wife Eleanor Devlin. He has a sister named Eleanor. He studied at Saint Joseph's Preparatory School; [http://www.scs.edu St. Charles Borromeo Seminary] in Wynnewood; and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, from where he obtained his doctorate in ecclesiastical history and licentiate in sacred theology. Martino was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop James Hickey, future cardinal, on December 18, 1970, in St. Peter’s Basilica.

He worked as an assistant pastor in Philadelphia (1971-1975, 1987), Penndel (1975-1977), and Jenkintown (summers of 1977-1981). He taught at Bishop Shanahan High School in West Chester from 1982 to 1984, and wrote the official document requesting the beatification of Katharine Drexel, who was later canonized in 2000.

From 1986 to 1992, Father Martino served as Dean of Formation in the Theology Division and assistant professor of Church History at his "alma mater" of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary; during his tenure there he was raised to the rank of an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness in 1991. He was Director of the Archdiocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (1990-1993, 1997-2003) and for Renewal of Pastoral Life (1992-1997).

On January 24, 1996, Martino was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop of "Cellae in Mauretania" by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following March 11 from Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, with Archbishop Francis Schulte and Bishop Edward Cullen serving as co-consecrators, at the Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

He was later named the ninth Bishop of Scranton on July 5, 2003, and was installed on October 1 of that same year at St. Peter's Cathedral.

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmartino.html Catholic-Hierarchy]
* [http://www.dioceseofscranton.org/Bishops'%20Office/Bishop%20Martino's%20Bio.asp Diocese of Scranton]