| The Most Reverend Eugene Antonio Marino |
|
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Atlanta | |
| See | Atlanta |
| Enthroned | May 5, 1988 |
| Reign ended | July 10, 1990 |
| Predecessor | Thomas Andrew Donnellan |
| Successor | James Patterson Lyke |
| Other posts | Auxiliary Bishop of Washington (1974-88) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 9, 1962 |
| Consecration | September 12, 1974 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 29, 1934 Biloxi, Mississippi |
| Died | November 12, 2000 (aged 66) Manhasset, New York |
| Alma mater | Epiphany Apostolic College |
Eugene Antonio Marino (May 29, 1934 - November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia from 1988 until 1990, becoming the first African American archbishop in United States of America. He was of both African American and Puerto Rican descent.
He was also the fourth African American to become auxiliary bishop for Washington, D.C. and the first to be secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. As archbishop of Atlanta, he tackled the conduct of other priests until his resignation after his affair with a lay-minister became public knowledge.
Contents |
Marino was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, the sixth of a total of eight children to baker and Puerto Rican immigrant Jesús María Marino and Lottie Irene Bradford Marino, a maid. From 1952 to 1956 he attended Epiphany Apostolic College in New York and went on to St. Joseph's Seminary in 1962 where he was ordained as a priest in the same year. He then went on to continue his education at Loyola University and Fordham University in The Bronx, New York City, graduating in 1967.
During his education at university, Marino also taught at Epiphany Apostolic College and following his graduation he was the spiritual director at St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington, D.C. from 1968 until 1971, when be became vicar general of the Josephites. From September 12, 1974 until 1988 he was the auxiliary bishop for Washington, D.C., the fourth African American ever to hold this position, as well as becoming the secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1985, the first African American to hold that position. In 1987 he organised a trip for a number of African American Catholics to see Pope John Paul II, and during a talk with these men and women, he stated:
| “ | Up as a young boy in Mississippi, with the double--I was going to say handicap, but I'll say blessing--of being black and Catholic, I never thought I would see the day when I would be standing here preaching God's holy word in this place, as a priest, indeed as a bishop. Generations of black Catholics never lived to see a black priest or sister, let alone ever dream that their son or daughter might become one. [1] | ” |
Marino went on to become the first African American archbishop in American history when he was installed as Archbishop of Atlanta on May 5, 1988, becoming involved in efforts to address the sexual misconduct of priests, including the conviction of one on child molestation charges.
Marino, however, was himself engaged in an affair with a female lay minister during this period, which became public knowledge in 1990. The lay minister, Vicki Long of Riverdale, Georgia, revealed that she had been secretly married to Marino in 1988 and then proceeded to file for divorce as well as attempt suicide. Concurrent with this secret marriage, Long was also involved in an affair with another Atlanta Diocesan priest, Father Michael Woods, who at the time was pastor of Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic Church in Sandy Springs. Long had previously alleged through a lawsuit against the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, that she had had a relationship with Father Donal Keohane of Columbus. Her allegation that Father Keohane fathered her daughter, LaDonna, 4, was disproved by blood tests ordered by the court. Father Keohane had provided her with monthly child support of $350, according to court records, always with a disclaimer that he did not admit to being the child's father. [2]
Following these events, after just two years as archbishop of Atlanta, Marino, who had been in seclusion since June 1, 1990, resigned on 10 July 1990 and cited "spiritual renewal, psychological therapy and medical supervision" as the reason. He then took a six-week long period of counseling. Retaining his title of archbishop, Marino quietly went to Michigan and took a post as chaplain at the Sisters of Mercy in Alma up until 1995. From this posting until his death in 2000 he worked in a counseling program at St. Vincent's Hospital in Harrison, New York, counseling on sexual behavior and substance abuse.
On the early morning of November 12, 2000, while at St. Ignatius Retreat House on Long Island acting as a counselor and confidant for the personal problems of fellow priests and nuns, Marino died aged 66. He was discovered in bed by the housekeeper and it was established that he had died of a heart attack. He was buried in Biloxi, Mississippi. Of his eight siblings, one brother and four sisters survive him.[2]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Andrew Donnellan |
Archbishop of Atlanta 1988–1990 |
Succeeded by James Patterson Lyke |
|
|||||