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Church Sources: Martino, Dougherty to Resign

Church Sources: Martino, Dougherty to Resign - Friday, August 28, 2009 at 10:15PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Friday, Aug 28, 2009 @ 10:15pm EST

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- Multiple sources in Scranton and in Philadelphia claim Bishop Joseph Martino will resign as leader of the diocese, ending a 6-year long tumultuous era for members of the faithful and their church hierarchy.

Sources say Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty will also step down. Dougherty submitted his resignation as is required when a bishop reaches 75. Dougherty is 77.

For months, speculation has smoldered about Martino's future as leader of the Northeast and Central Pennsylvania Catholic community.

Several sources claim the bishop's hard-line approach with local politicians and Catholic colleges and universities caught the attention of members of the U. S. Catholic Conference of Bishops and the Vatican's delegate to the United States in Washington D. C..

Sources claim Martino will cite health problems as the reason for his resignation.

A Philadelphia Archdiocese source familiar with the situation claimed Martino had recently suffered a "near nervous breakdown." The source, a member of the Philadelphia clergy, said Martino would be resigning.

Staff members of the Scranton Times-Tribune caught up with Martino earlier Friday as he walked down Penn Avenue in Scranton. Martino, according to the published report, refused to comment about his rumored resignation. He referred questions to William Genello, spokesman for the Diocese of Scranton.

Diocesan staffers would only say that a news conference has been scheduled for Monday at 10 a. m. in downtown Scranton. It noted there would be no further comment.

An email from Chancellor James Earley of the diocese wrote: "By now you have probably heard rumors and news reports about an impending announcement from the Diocese of Scranton. Some reports are even citing 'sources in the Diocese.' I can assure you that the Diocese has not made any such announcement."
 


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