Bishop Joseph Martino, 63, Diocese of Scranton (PA), resigned today, citing health reasons. Pope Benedict accepted the resignation under a provision of church law in which a bishop due to illness or "some other grave reason, has become unsuited" to carry out his duties.
Martino told the press this morning that "there has not been a clear consensus regarding [his] pastoral initiatives or way of governance" of the diocese especially in regard to controversy surrounding closing churches and schools due to changing demographics. He said that these difficulties led to bouts of insomnia and a weakened immune system which had taken a toll on his physical vigor.
Others say that citing health concerns is a cover, and that Martino "got the boot" for "heavy-handed administration of the diocese." David Gibson at Politics Daily says that Martino had lost support among his brother bishops for his strident anti-abortion positions, and his controversial interventions in politics--he said he would not allow Joe Biden to receive communion in Scranton--and had lost support among local Catholics for his imperious attitude.
During last year's campaign, for example, one of the parishes in the diocese was holding a voter-education forum on the election, featuring discussion of a document, "Faithful Citizenship," the election guide endorsed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Martino showed up at the parish hall unannounced, took the microphone, and then railed against the organizers for not using his own letter on abortion as the basis of the discussion. Said Martino, "No USCCB document is relevant in this diocese. The USCCB doesn't speak for me. The only relevant document ... is my letter. There is one teacher in this diocese, and these points are not debatable."
About 70 of the American Catholic bishops protested Pres. Obama's speech at Notre Dame earlier this year. There are about 300 Catholic bishops in the United States, which means that a strong majority of bishops did not protest the appearance. The "silent majority" of moderate bishops may be asserting itself. Last week, Santa Fe Bishop, Michael Sheehan, decried the "combative tactics" of the arch-conservative minority of bishops.
Photo: Steve McConnell/Wayne Independent
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