Martin John Amos

Last updated

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Martin John Amos

DD
Bishop Emeritus of Davenport
Church Catholic Church
AppointedOctober 12, 2006
InstalledNovember 20, 2006
RetiredApril 19, 2017
Predecessor William Edwin Franklin
Successor Thomas Zinkula
Orders
OrdinationMay 25, 1968
by  Clarence George Issenmann
ConsecrationJune 7, 2001
by  Anthony Michael Pilla, Alexander James Quinn, and Anthony Edward Pevec
Personal details
Born (1941-12-08) December 8, 1941 (age 82)
Cleveland, Ohio
Previous post(s)
MottoDoce me Domine
(Teach me, O Lord)
Styles of
Martin John Amos
Coat of arms of Martin John Amos.svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Martin John Amos (born December 8, 1941) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Amos served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 2001 to 2006 and as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in Iowa from 2006 to 2017.

Contents

Biography

Early life and ministry

Martin John Amos was born on December 8, 1941, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was the oldest of six children born to Martin and Mary Amos. [1] He grew up in a working-class neighborhood on the west side of Cleveland, attending Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. Amos was educated at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School and James Ford Rhodes High School, both in Cleveland. [2]

Amos then attended Borromeo Seminary College in Wickliffe, Ohio and St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland. Amos graduated from St. Mary in 1968 with a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree. He was awarded a Master of Science in Education degree in 1975 from St. John's College in Cleveland [2]

Priesthood

On May 25, 1968, Amos was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Cleveland by Bishop Clarence Issenmann at St. John Bosco Church in Parma Heights, Ohio. [2] After his ordination, Amos was assigned as associate pastor of St. James Parish in Lakewood, Ohio. In 1970, he was posted to St. Thomas Parish in Sheffield Lake, Ohio, serving there until 1973.  Amos was also teaching religion during this period at Elyria Catholic High School in Elyria, Ohio, and Lorain Catholic High School in Lorain, Ohio. [2]

In 1973, Amos became a teacher at Borromeo Seminary High School. While teaching at Borromeo, he also attended John Carroll University to obtain teaching and administration certifications. With the closing of the high school in 1976, Amos was appoint academic dean of Borromeo College. He taught Latin and scripture, staying at the college until 1988. [2] In 1983, Amos was also appointed assistant pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Shaker Heights, Ohio, becoming pastor there in 1985. He would remain at St. Dominic until his appointment as auxiliary bishop. [2]

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

On April 3, 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Amos as the titular bishop of Meta and auxiliary bishop of Cleveland. He was ordained by Bishop Anthony M. Pilla on June 7, 2001, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland. The principal co-consecrators were Auxiliary Bishops Alexander J. Quinn and Anthony E. Pevec. [3]

Bishop of Davenport

On October 12, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Amos as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Davenport. He was installed by Archbishop Jerome Hanus on November 20, 2006, [4] with Archbishop Pietro Sambi present, at St. John Vianney Church in Bettendorf, Iowa. [5]

Two days before Amos assumed office, the diocese filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. As a result of the bankruptcy, the diocese was forced to sell off property, including the bishop's residence, to pay for a financial settlement to sexual abuse victims. [6] Amos had previously requested a small fixer-upper house to live in, believing the bishop's residence too big for him. [7] The diocese sold the chancery building, the St. Vincent Center, and the surrounding property to St. Ambrose University in May 2009. In March 2010, the diocese bought back the St. Vincent Center and five acres of land. [8] A $22 million capital campaign was also initiated in 2009 to replenish diocesan finances and to provide the finances for other projects. [9]

In 2007, Amos announced that the board of trustees of St. Ambrose University had decided to remove the name of Bishop Gerald O'Keefe from the school library. O'Keefe had covered up sexual abuse crimes by priests in the diocese. [7] On July 1, 2010, the diocese re-established the diocesan branch of Catholic Charities. The organization was introduced into the diocese in 1929 by Bishop Henry Rohlman, but was discontinued in 1968. [10]

In May 2012, Amos rescinded an invitation to a representative of the Rich Eychaner Charitable Foundation to present a scholarship to Keaton Fuller, a student at the Prince of Peace Catholic School in Clinton, Iowa. The Eychander Foundation promotes anti-bullying legislation and seeks to promote tolerance and non-discrimination for LBGTQ+ youth. Amos and the foundation reached a compromise in which a foundation representative from the foundation would award the statue to Fuller and a diocesan representative would deliver a pre-approved statement from the foundation. [11]

Retirement

On April 19, 2017 Pope Francis accepted Amos' letter of resignation as Bishop of Davenport and named Monsignor Thomas Zinkula as his replacement. [12] Amos attended the installation mass in Cleveland on July 13, 2015 of Bishop Edward C. Malesic, the new bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland.[ citation needed ]

After the sudden death of Bishop George Murry from the Diocese of Youngstown in Ohio on June 5, 2020, the Vatican assigned Amos to assist Monsignor Robert Siffrin in running the diocese until a new bishop was installed. Amos' role was to ordain priests, deacons and transitional deacons in the diocese. On Tuesday, January 12, 2021, Amos was invited to the installation mass of the new Youngstown bishop, Reverend David J. Bonnar.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Iowa, USA

The Diocese of Davenport is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or diocese, of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Heart Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

Sacred Heart Cathedral, located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, is a Catholic cathedral and a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. The cathedral is located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River to the east of Downtown Davenport. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cathedral Complex. This designation includes the church building, rectory, and the former convent, which was torn down in 2012. The cathedral is adjacent to the Cork Hill Historic District, also on the National Register. Its location on Cork Hill, a section of the city settled by Irish immigrants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Ohio, USA

The Diocese of Youngstown is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern Ohio in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Ohio, USA

The Diocese of Cleveland is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern Ohio in the United States. As of September 2020, the bishop is Edward Malesic. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in Cleveland, is the mother church of the diocese.

Anthony Michael Pilla was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1979 to 1981 and as bishop of the same diocese from 1981 to 2006.

Thomas Jerome Welsh was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania (1970-1974), as bishop of the Diocese of Arlington in Virginia (1974–1983) and as bishop of the Diocese of Allentown in Pennsylvania (1983–1997).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Donald Soens</span> American bishop (1926–2021)

Lawrence Donald Soens was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. In 2008, the Diocese of Davenport in Iowa announced multiple credible accusations that Soens had sexually abused children as a priest. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City in Iowa from 1983 to 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Francis O'Keefe</span>

Gerald Francis O'Keefe was a 20th-century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul in the state of Minnesota from 1961 to 1966 and bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1966 to 1993.

Sebastian G. Menke was a 20th-century Catholic priest in the United States who served as the tenth president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa from 1964 to 1973.

Clarence George Issenmann was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in Ohio from 1954 to 1957 as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1957 to 1964, and as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1966 to 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Anthony Griffin</span> Catholic bishop (born 1934)

James Anthony Griffin is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Griffin served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1983 to 2004. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1979 to 1983.

Clarence Edward Elwell was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1968 until his death in 1973. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1962 to 1968.

James Augustine McFadden was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown in Ohio (1943–1952). He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio (1932-1943).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, USA

St. Mary's Catholic Church was a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church building is located in the west end of Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of Fillmore and W. 6th Streets. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex. The designation includes the church building and rectory on the west side of Fillmore Street, and the former parochial school building and convent on the east side. A former school building operated by the parish two blocks north on West Eighth Street is also on the National Register and is listed as St. Mary's Academy. The parish ceased operations in July 2020 when it was merged into St. Anthony's Church downtown. The parish campus is being acquired by the nonprofit organization Humility Homes & Services, which is operated by the Congregation of the Humility of Mary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert Sheldon (Bishop of Steubenville)</span> American prelate of the Catholic Church (1926–2023)

Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio between 1992 and 2002. Sheldon previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1976 to 1992.

Marvin Alfred Mottet was a 20th and 21st century Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Davenport in the US state of Iowa. He was a noted advocate of social justice causes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert D. Gruss</span>

Robert Dwayne Gruss is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw in Michigan since 2019. Gruss previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City in South Dakota from 2011 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Robert Zinkula</span> 21st-century Roman Catholic Archbishop and Prelate

Thomas Robert Zinkula is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as Metropolitan archbishop of Dubuque in Iowa, where he first served as a priest. He served as bishop of Davenport in Iowa from 2017 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John P. Dolan</span> American Catholic bishop (born 1962)

John Patrick Dolan is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as bishop in the Diocese of Phoenix since August 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael G. Woost</span> American bishop of the Catholic Church

Michael Gerard Woost is an American bishop of the Catholic Church who has been serving as auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio since 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Will Smith (April 2, 2016). "Bishop Martin Amos defines mercy". The Hawk Eye . Burlington . Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bishops of the Diocese of Davenport". Diocese of Davenport. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Bishop Martin John Amos". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved January 21, 2007.
  4. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. New Providence, New Jersey: P.J. Kenedy & Sons. 2009. p. 362.
  5. ↑ Deirdre Cox Baker (November 20, 2006). "New father for the Davenport flock". Quad-City Times . Davenport . Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  6. ↑ Aaron Cox Baker (December 9, 2011). "Diocese to sell off properties". Quad-City Times. Davenport. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  7. 1 2 Baker, Deirdre. "Amos took on daunting challenge". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ Ann McGlynn (March 12, 2010). "Diocese reclaims HQ in $1.2M post-bankruptcy deal". Quad-City Times. Davenport. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  9. ↑ Ann McGlynn (March 12, 2010). "Proceeds from campaign split up across diocese". Quad-City Times. Davenport. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  10. ↑ Barb Arland-Fye. "Catholic Charities to start in diocese". Davenport: The Catholic Messenger. Retrieved July 11, 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ Steven Martens and Kay Luna (May 11, 2012). "Agreement reached in gay student scholarship dispute". Quad-City Times. Davenport. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  12. ↑ Deirdre Cox Baker (April 19, 2017). "Monsignor Zinkula named bishop of Diocese of Davenport". Quad-City Times. Davenport. Retrieved April 19, 2017.

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Davenport
2006-2017		Succeeded by


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.