José Romão Martenetz

José Romão Martenetz (7 February 1903, Lviv, present Ukraine – 23 February 1989, Curitiba, Brazil) was a bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of São João Batista em Curitiba (1962-1978) and a member of Basilian monks.

Biography

Romão Martenetz was born in Lviv, his fathers were Joseph and Adelia Martenetz. In 1912 along with his parents he went to Prudentopolis (Brazil). After the closure of the Latin Seminary in Curitiba, in 1922 he went to Carpathian Ruthenia in Ukraine, where ended his philosophical studies. In 1923, in Mukachevo Martenetz joined to Basilian monks and his noviciate and accepted the name Joseph. In 1924 he made his first monk vows.

In 1925 Martenetz was study in the Pontifical Gregorian University where he became a doctor in the field of dogmatic theology. In 1927 in Rome Martenetz took monks vows to make a Basilian and received his ordination from bishop Isaias Papadopoulos. Back to Transcarpathia, Martenetz was Director of Studies at Small Bereznyj, prefect of students in the Minor Seminary of Basilian fathers in Uzhorod. He worked in the editorial of the magazine evangelist, performed various pastoral works, an was adviser to the Province and editor of "The Missionary".

n 1935, Father Martenetz returned to Brazil and get a Brazilian citizenship. In the same year Prudentopolis began editing the magazine "Work" (1935-1940). He was a teacher at Saint Joseph Minor Seminary. With a view to the education and training of young people, founded the organization "Self" and published magazine "Samoosvitnyk". He taught theology for students in the Basilian seminary. After the death of Father Marcion Shkirpana, OSBM in 1939 was elected to the Provincial Government of the Province of the Basilian Fathers in Brazil.

In 1953, Joseph Martenetz returned to Rome, where he served the government protokonsultora Basilian Order and was rector of the Ukrainian Papal College of Saint Josaphat on Janiculum (1953–1955). He was a member of the Biblical Commission, which translated the whole Scripture into Ukrainian.

May 10, 1958 Pope Pius XII appointed him titular bishop and assistant of Cardinal Jaime de Barros Câmara, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, which also was the ordinary of all Catholics of Oriental rites in Brazil. Episcopal ordination took place on August 15, 1958 in Rome, in the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Chief Bishop was Bishop Ambrose Senyshyn, OSBM, future metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

On May 30, 1962 Pope John XXIII founded the Apostolic Exarchate for the faithful of the UGCC and appointed him Apostolic Exarch. Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of São João Batista em Curitiba, with its headquarters in Curitiba, was created by Pope Paul VI on November 29, 1971 and José Romão Martenetz was appointed as its first bishop, and Hieromonk Efraím Basílio Krevey, OSBM, appointed as coadjutor bishop. On July 29, 1972 in the Cathedral of Saint John Baptist in Curitiba Martenetz was ethronized as first Bishop of Curitiba Church.

On May 10, 1978, Bishop José Romão Martenetz, already weak and sick, gave his abdication to Pope Paul VI and received his release from the Episcopal ministry. Curitiba has entrusted to Basílio Efraím Krevey, auxiliar bishop. Bishop Joseph went to live in the seminary of Basilian Fathers in Curitiba, where he was confessor of students where taught Ukrainian language and literature. In October 1981, Bishop José Martenetz suffered a stroke, which resulted in partial lose of the language for seven years and four months, until his death. He died on 23 February 1989 and was buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Curitiba.

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