Michael Thomas Martin OFM Conv. (born December 2, 1961) is an American Catholic prelate who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte in North Carolina since 2024. A priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (O.F.M. Conv.), he previously worked as a high school teacher and administrator, a parish priest and pastor and as a college chaplain.
Michael Thomas Martin | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Charlotte | |
| Church | Catholic |
| See | Charlotte |
| Appointed | April 9, 2024 |
| Installed | May 29, 2024 |
| Predecessor | Peter Joseph Jugis |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 10, 1989 by John Huston Ricard |
| Consecration | May 29, 2024 by Gregory John Hartmayer, Christophe Pierre, and Peter Joseph Jugis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 2, 1961 |
| Motto | Duc in altum (Put out into the deep) |
| Styles of Michael Thomas Martin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Biography
editEarly life
editMichael Martin was born on December 2, 1961, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Beverly Beatty and Donald Martin. He attended Archbishop Curley High School in that city. After high school, Martin entered the Franciscan novitiate at Ellicott City, Maryland, in August 1979 and professed his solemn vows to the order on August 2, 1985.[1][2] In the meantime he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Saint Hyacinth Seminary in Granby, Massachusetts, a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure in Rome, and a master's degree in education from Boston College.
Priesthood
editMartin was ordained to the priesthood for the Franciscan Order on June 10, 1989, by Bishop John Huston Ricard at St. Casimir Church in Baltimore.[3][4] After his ordination, the Franciscans assigned Martin as a teacher and coach at Saint Francis High School in Athol Springs, New York.
In 1994, he was transferred to back to Baltimore to teach and coach at Archbishop Curley High School. He was ultimately named as principal and then president at the school. Martin led a successful $7 million capital campaign at Archbishop Curley and increased its enrollment after a decline during the 1990s.[3][5] Because of his work there, the Vatican awarded Martin its Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award in 2007.[3]
In 2010, the Franciscans sent Martin to North Carolina to serve as director of the Duke University Catholic Center.[3] After 12 years at Duke, Martin received his first pastoral appointment as pastor of St. Philip Benizi Church in Jonesboro, Georgia.[3]
Bishop of Charlotte
editOn April 9, 2024, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte due to his "chronic but non-life-threatening" kidney issues, and appointed Martin as his successor.[3][6][7]With Martin's appointment, the Conventual Franciscans became the most represented religious community among the active bishops of the United States.[8]
Martin's episcopal consecration occurred on May 29th, 2024, at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville, North Carolina.[9] He was consecrated by Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, with Jugis and Cardinal Christophe Pierre serving as co-consecrators.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "About Our Clergy". www.stphilipbenizi.org. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ DesignWorksGarage. "Fr. Michael Martin '79-Bishop of Charlotte". Archbishop Curley. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Longtime Charlotte bishop retires after 20 years of leading growing diocese; Franciscan priest named successor". catholicnewsherald.com. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ a b "Bishop Michael Thomas Martin [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
- ^ "Baltimore native Father Michael Martin to take helm of Charlotte diocese". Catholic Review. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 09.04.2024". press.vatican.va (Press release).
- ^ "Friar Michael T. MARTIN, OFM Conv., Appointed Bishop of Charlotte | Notizie OFMConv". April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ "Which religious order has the most U.S. bishops?". The Pillar. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ Golden, Nichole (April 9, 2024). "St. Philip Benizi pastor appointed Charlotte's fifth bishop – Georgia Bulletin". georgiabulletin.org. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
