Joseph Martino

Early life Joseph Francis Martino was born on May 1, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Joseph F. Martino Sr. and his wife Eleanor Devlin. He has a sister, Eleanor. He studied at Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia and at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the same city He then attended the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he obtained his doctorate in ecclesiastical history and Licentiate of Sacred Theology. Priesthood Martino was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Bishop James Hickey on December 18, 1970, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. In 2008, Martino decertified the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, a teachers union that had functioned in the diocese for 30 years. He replaced it with a diocesan association of teachers. The head of the Association of Catholic Teachers described this new group as a "company union". When the presidents of four Catholic universities and colleges in the diocese asked to meet with Martino, he demanded to first see the syllabi of all their courses on religion, faith and morals. The presidents refused this request, stating that their professors owned the syllabi. He admitted that his stress derived from a “clear consensus among the clergy and the people of the diocese of Scranton regarding my pastoral initiatives or my method of governance.” According to a report in National Catholic Reporter, the apostolic nunicio to the United States had received numerous complaints about Martino's management style, his lack of consultation with others and his remoteness. Monsignor Joseph C. Bambera was named on February 23, 2010, as Martino's replacement. == Viewpoints ==

2008 presidential election During the 2008 presidential election, Martino issued a pastoral letter that declared "public officials who are Catholic and who persist in public support for abortion...should not partake in or be admitted to the sacrament of Holy Communion." This was particularly controversial since the Democratic vice presidential candidate, then Senator Joe Biden, is a native of Scranton. Martino confirmed that Biden would be refused communion should he tour the region. In October 2008, Martino made an unexpected appearance at a Catholic political forum in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where he stated, "No USCCB document is relevant in this diocese ... There is one teacher in this diocese, and these points are not debatable." Abortion Following President Barack Obama's inauguration, Martino accused Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a Catholic who opposes abortion, of "cooperating with...evil" by supporting Obama's repeal of the Mexico City Policy. This policy, reinstated when George W. Bush became president, prohibited federal funding for foreign family planning aid groups who offer abortion services to women. Martino declared that Casey's opposition to the Mexico City Policy "will mean the deaths of thousands of unborn children." LGBT On February 17, 2009, Martino expressed his "absolute disapproval" of Misericordia University inviting Keith Boykin, a best-selling author and LGBTQ rights advocate, to speak at its annual dinner as part of Black History Month. Martino described Boykin's views as "disturbingly opposed" and "antithetical" to Catholic teaching, and stated that "Misericordia University in this instance is seriously failing in maintaining its Catholic identity." Martino, "determined to prevent a scandal," stated that such officials should not be "given parade positions or dais opportunities either to be recognized or to speak to the assembled participants," which would "honor pro-abortion officials" or make it appear that “the Catholic Church is seen to be involved in this honoring.” ==See also==