Breaking: Bp. Joseph Martino to resign from diocese for health reasons

From the Scranton Times:

"Bishop Joseph F. Martino is expected to resign as head of the Diocese of Scranton next week, sources within the diocese confirmed to The Times-Tribune today.

Speculation about the bishop's future began earlier this week when The Times-Tribune reported that his belongings were being moved from the rectory adjacent to the diocese's mother church, St. Peter's Cathedral, to a retreat in Dalton."

More from local WNEP 16:

"When the bishop does step aside, Newswatch 16 has learned, that Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will be in charge of the Scranton diocese on an interim basis until a new bishop is named."

The Times Leader has more background. The communications office at the Scranton diocese doesn't appear to be doing its job very well. Bishop Martino is only 63 years old, so typically he would have 12 more years of episcopal service before being allowed to retire.

I'm very saddened by this news and urge readers to pray for his health. Bishop Martino is a real firebrand who has been passionately defending the principles of our Catholic faith in his diocese, as previous AmP posts detail.