Michael Angelo Saltarelli
Encyclopedia
Michael Angelo Saltarelli (January 17, 1932 – October 8, 2009) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Wilmington
from 1995 to 2008.
to Michael and Caroline (née Marzitello) Saltarelli. He attended James J. Ferris High School
and later Seton Hall University
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1956. He then studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary
in Darlington, and was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Thomas Boland
on May 28, 1960.
Saltarelli served as an associate pastor
at Holy Family Church in Nutley
from 1960 to 1977, and earned a Master's degree
in religious studies
from Manhattan College
in 1975. He served as pastor
of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Bayonne
from 1977 to 1982, whence he became Executive Director for Pastoral Services in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. He was raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
in 1984.
Saltarelli was later made pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Cedar Grove
in June 1985, and Vicar
for Priests in November 1987. He also served as Dean
of North Essex, of Bayonne, and of West Essex. He served two terms as a member of and one term as president
of the Priests' Personnel Board, and was a member of the Archdiocesan School
Board.
of Newark and Titular Bishop
of Mesarfelta by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following July 30 from Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, with Archbishop Peter Gerety
and Bishop John Smith
serving as co-consecrators
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Obedience to Jesus Christ
."
As an auxiliary to Archbishop McCarrick, he served as rector
of Sacred Heart Cathedral
and continued to serve as Vicar for Priests. He was also the national episcopal moderator of the Holy Name Society and New Jersey State
Chaplain
of the Knights of Columbus
.
, Delaware
, on November 21, 1995. He succeeded Robert E. Mulvee
, and was formally installed
on January 23, 1996.
During his tenure, he oversaw an increase of over 60,000 Catholics in the diocese, ordained 23 priests and 47 permanent deacons
, and constructed or renovated numerous churches, schools
, and other facilities. He also expanded ministries to Hispanics
, and established a group of Delawarean Catholics dedicated to preventing legislation that would legalize cloning
and the use of human embryos for medical research. He released the names of 20 diocesan priests accused of sexual abuse
, and once said, "I condemn what's been done to victims with all my heart."
In 2006, he refused to allow a student center at Archmere Academy
to be named after then-Senator
Joe Biden
, an Archmere alumni and pro-choice
politician
. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Saltarelli submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI
in January 2007 (however, his year of birth was still publicly listed as 1933, with 1932 not being publicized until after his death). His resignation was accepted on July 7, 2008, and he served as Apostolic Administrator
of Wilmington until the installation of his successor, William F. Malooly
, the following September 8.
linebacker
Brian Toal
is his grandnephew.
that started as bone cancer and had spread. He died on October 8, 2009 in Wilmington, Delaware
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Wilmington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
-External links:**...
from 1995 to 2008.
Biography
One of seven children, Michael Saltarelli was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
to Michael and Caroline (née Marzitello) Saltarelli. He attended James J. Ferris High School
James J. Ferris High School
James J. Ferris High School is a four-year public high school located in Jersey City, New Jersey, operated as part of the Jersey City Public Schools.The school is named after James J. Ferris, who was a civil engineer and politician in Jersey City...
and later Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1956. He then studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology
The Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology is part of Seton Hall University, the Roman Catholic university of New Jersey, and is located in South Orange. ICCST is one of the oldest Catholic seminaries in the United States. The university is the oldest diocesan university in the country....
in Darlington, and was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Archbishop Thomas Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland
Thomas Aloysius Boland was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Newark from 1952 to 1974, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Bishop of Paterson .-Early life and education:Thomas Boland was born in Orange, New Jersey, to John Peter and...
on May 28, 1960.
Saltarelli served as an associate pastor
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Holy Family Church in Nutley
Nutley, New Jersey
2010 Census Data:*TOTAL: 28,370 or 100%*White: 23,405 *African American: 628 *Asian: 2,824 *American Indian and Alaska Native: 36 *Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 4...
from 1960 to 1977, and earned a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
from Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
in 1975. He served as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
from 1977 to 1982, whence he became Executive Director for Pastoral Services in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. He was raised to the rank of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1984.
Saltarelli was later made pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove, New Jersey
-Climate:Cedar Grove has a humid subtropical climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly colder overall during the summer than in New York City because there is no urban heat island effect....
in June 1985, and Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for Priests in November 1987. He also served as Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of North Essex, of Bayonne, and of West Essex. He served two terms as a member of and one term as president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Priests' Personnel Board, and was a member of the Archdiocesan School
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
Board.
Auxiliary Bishop of Newark
On June 2, 1990, Saltarelli was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Newark and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Mesarfelta by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following July 30 from Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, with Archbishop Peter Gerety
Peter Leo Gerety
Peter Leo Gerety is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Newark from 1974 to 1986, having previously served as Bishop of Portland...
and Bishop John Smith
John Mortimer Smith
John Mortimer Fourette Smith is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the ninth Bishop of Trenton, having previously served as Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee from 1991 to 1995...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He selected as his episcopal motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Obedience to Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
."
As an auxiliary to Archbishop McCarrick, he served as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Sacred Heart Cathedral
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest cathedral in North America, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is located at 89 Ridge Street in Newark, New Jersey. Envisioned as a "fitting monument to the faith," construction began in 1899 and was finished in...
and continued to serve as Vicar for Priests. He was also the national episcopal moderator of the Holy Name Society and New Jersey State
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
Bishop of Wilmington
Saltarelli was later named the eighth Bishop of WilmingtonRoman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington
-External links:**...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, on November 21, 1995. He succeeded Robert E. Mulvee
Robert Edward Mulvee
Robert Edward Mulvee is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wilmington, Delaware and Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island .-Biography:...
, and was formally installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
on January 23, 1996.
During his tenure, he oversaw an increase of over 60,000 Catholics in the diocese, ordained 23 priests and 47 permanent deacons
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, and constructed or renovated numerous churches, schools
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
, and other facilities. He also expanded ministries to Hispanics
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
, and established a group of Delawarean Catholics dedicated to preventing legislation that would legalize cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
and the use of human embryos for medical research. He released the names of 20 diocesan priests accused of sexual abuse
Sexual abuse scandal in Wilmington diocese
The sexual abuse scandal in Wilmington diocese is a significant episode in the series of Catholic sex abuse cases in the United States and Ireland.-Bishop Saltarelli releases 20 names:...
, and once said, "I condemn what's been done to victims with all my heart."
In 2006, he refused to allow a student center at Archmere Academy
Archmere Academy
Archmere Academy is a Roman Catholic college preparatory school of 474 students in Claymont, Delaware. It is run independently within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.-History:...
to be named after then-Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
, an Archmere alumni and pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Saltarelli submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in January 2007 (however, his year of birth was still publicly listed as 1933, with 1932 not being publicized until after his death). His resignation was accepted on July 7, 2008, and he served as Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of Wilmington until the installation of his successor, William F. Malooly
William Francis Malooly
William Francis Malooly is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who currently serves as the Bishop of Wilmington.-Biography:...
, the following September 8.
Health
He underwent an emergency quadruple-bypass surgery on April 2, 2009. Former Boston CollegeBoston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Brian Toal
Brian Toal
Brian P. Toal is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Las Vegas Locomotives in the UFL Premiere Season Draft in 2009. He played college football at Boston College....
is his grandnephew.
Death
Saltarelli suffered from cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
that started as bone cancer and had spread. He died on October 8, 2009 in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
.