Joseph R. Cistone

Early life and education Cistone was born on May 18, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Daniel A. and Josephine R. (née Altomare) Cistone, Sr. One of three children, he has two brothers, Daniel and Anthony. He attended Our Lady of Consolation School and graduated from Father Judge High School, both in Philadelphia. Priesthood Cistone was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral-Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Cardinal John Krol on May 17, 1975. After his ordination, Cistone was posted as parochial vicar at Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Philadelphia. He also became chaplain at St. Maria Goretti High School in Philadelphia in 1977. Cistone left these two posts in 1979 to became parochial vicar at St. Jerome Parish in Philadelphia. He was named in 1980 as an advocate on the metropolitan tribunal. From 1982 to 1987, Cistone served as parochial vicar at St. Jude Parish in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, as a board member for the archdiocesan permanent diaconate program, and as chaplain of the Newman Center at Delaware Valley College of Science in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He was also named defender of the bond on the metropolitan tribunal in 1983, then in 1987 became parochial vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Cistone was moved from St. Francis in 1989 to St. Bernard Parish in Philadelphia. In 1991, Cistone left his other positions to become dean of formation for the Theology Division of St. Charles Seminary. Many parishioners were angered by the closures, with some participating in protests. Several retired priests also opposed the closures. According to one priest, the diocese lost 5,000 parishioners between 2013 and 2015. Death Joseph Cistone died of lung cancer at his home in Saginaw on October 16, 2018, at age 69. ==Sexual abuse scandal==

According to a 2005 grand jury investigation into clergy sexual abuse, while serving as assistant vicar for administration in 1996, Cistone was involved with silencing a nun who tried to alert parishioners at St. Gabriel parish about abuse by a priest. A week after being named to lead the Diocese of Saginaw, Cistone was asked by a reporter about the grand jury investigation and his reported role in covering up instances of sexual abuse. Cistone expressed unhappiness with how little opportunity he had been given to respond to the report, saying, "Unfortunately, the grand jury procedure, as followed in Philadelphia, did not allow for any opportunity to address such questions to offer explanation or clarification." Cistone also expressed surprise that he had not been questioned about the grand jury report during his introductory press conference and told the reporter, "Had it come up, I certainly would have addressed it." Press reports indicate that he admitted that in 1994 he watched as Church records with the names of abusers were shredded. Deland Case On March 1, 2018, Cistone suspended Reverend Robert Deland, a pastor at St. Agnes Parish in Freeland, Michigan, from all of his priestly duties. Deland had been arrested by police on February 26, 2018, on charges of sexually assaulting a teenager.That same month, Saginaw police searched Cistone's residence for evidence in unspecified sexual abuse case. Prosecutors said they took this step due to a lack of cooperation from the diocese. Cistone said that he was unaware of the investigation. The police also searched the chancery office and the cathedral rectory. In April 2018, Cistone appointed Michigan Judge Michael J. Talbot as an independent delegate to take charge of all sexual abuse cases in the diocese. In September 2018, Deland pleaded no contest to reduced charges; he was sent to state prison, spending two years there. ==See also==