Pope Names Burlington Bishop Matano as Bishop of Rochester

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, bishop of Burlington, Vermont, as bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, New York. Bishop Matano succeeds Bishop Matthew H. Clark, who retired in September 2012.

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, bishop of Burlington, Vermont, as bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, New York. Bishop Matano succeeds Bishop Matthew H. Clark, who retired in September 2012.

The appointment was publicized in Washington, November 6, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Salvatore Ronald Matano was born September 15, 1946 in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended St. Ann Elementary and La Salle Academy in Providence. He entered Our Lady of Providence Seminary in Providence and studied theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he also earned a doctorate in Canon Law in 1983. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Providence on December 17, 1971, in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome.

Following ordination, he served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Johnston, Rhode Island, and as a teacher at Our Lady of Providence Seminary High School. He served as director of the Priest’s Personnel Office and assistant chancellor of the Diocese of Providence from 1977-80 and later as co-chancellor, from 1983-91. From 1991-92 he served at the apostolic nunciature in Washington and from 1992-97 as vicar general of the Diocese of Providence. He was named a protonotary apostolic with a title of monsignor on January 17, 1993.

He served as pastor of St. Sebastian Parish in Providence and professor at Providence College of the Dominican Fathers from 1997-2000, before returning to the apostolic nunciature. Pope John Paul II appointed his coadjutor bishop of Burlington on March 3, 2005. He was ordained a bishop on April 19 of that year and succeeded Bishop Kenneth A. Angell as bishop of Burlington on November 9.

Bishop Clark served as bishop of Rochester from 1979-2012. A native of Troy, New York, he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Albany, New York, in 1962. He served in parish and chancery assignments in Albany and as a spiritual director at North American College, Rome, from 1972-1979, when he was named bishop of Rochester.

The Diocese of Rochester is comprised of 12 counties in the state of New York. It covers 7,107 square miles and has a population of 1,512,046, of which 311,427, or 21 percent, are Catholic.
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Keywords: Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, Diocese of Rochester, New York, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States, Pope Francis, bishop appointment
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