Joseph Anthony Galante

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Joseph Anthony Galante (born July 2, 1938) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the Bishop of Camden, having previously served as Bishop of Beaumont from 1994 to 1999 and Coadjutor Bishop of Dallas from 1999 to 2004.

[edit] Biography

Born in Philadelphia, Galante attended Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood (where he received his BA in 1960), and the Pontifical Lateran University (where he received his doctorate in canon law in 1968) in Rome. Galante was ordained to the priesthood on May 16, 1964.

Prior to his installation as bishop of Camden, he announced that if then-Governor of New Jersey, Jim McGreevey, attended the installation Mass, he would deny him communion due to his remarriage without having had his first marriage annulled by the Church.^{[citation needed]}

On April 2, 2008, Galante announced large scale mergers and closings of half of the parishes in the Camden diocese. Thus far, the closures have proved to be very controversial. One of the parishes that will be closed recently completed the building of a handicap accessible rectory for its pastor who suffers from multiple sclerosis.^[1] The massive number of proposed closings has even prompted protests and letter writing campaigns to Archbishop John J. Myers, the Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey and Archbishop Pietro Sambi the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Washington, D.C.

Shortly after the announcement, the Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey was formed to fight the closings (link below).

[edit] References

^ "Decision a shocker for parish, pastor", Courier-Post, April 6, 2008

[edit] External links

Preceded by Bernard J. Ganter	Bishop of Beaumont (Texas) 2000–2004	Succeeded by Curtis J. Guillory
Preceded by Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio	Bishop of Camden (New Jersey) 2004–present	Succeeded by Incumbent