Join the Conversation
Send your thoughts to Letters to the Editor. Learn more
I found two sources with the video of this morning's news conference from Scranton, Pa., announcing the resignation of Bishop Martino:
The The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has video on its web site: View here.
The Scranton diocesan web site also has video available for download. Scroll down the page until you see the image of the video camera>.
A couple of highlights:
Martino said:
"For some time now, there has not been a clear consensus among the clergy and people of the Diocese of Scranton regarding my pastoral initiatives or my way of governance. This development has caused me great sorrow, resulting in bouts of insomnia and at times a crippling physical fatigue."
The diocese needs a bishop who "is at least physically vigorous," Martino said. "I am not that bishop."
Martino said stress of the job had caused insomnia and severe bouts of fatigue that, in turn, left his immune system weak. "I had three bouts of flu this last semester, and that has never happened," he said.
Martino said he had first raised the possibility of resigning with Cardinal Justin Rigali a year ago.
Getting the news out in public after keeping it secret for three months was a great relief, Martino said.
