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Bishop Emeritus Joseph Latino dies at age 83
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Bishop Emeritus Joseph N. Latino dies at age 83
Story by Janet Marcel
Bishop Emeritus Joseph Nunzio Latino, who served as the 10th Bishop of Jackson, MS, died Friday, May 28, at the age of 83. The New Orleans native attended St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Archbishop John Cody in St. Louis Cathedral May 25, 1963.
During his priesthood, Bishop Latino served in parishes in New Orleans, Metairie, Houma and Thibodaux. When the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux was established in 1977, he was serving as pastor of St. Bernadette Church parish in Houma, where he remained until 1987. Under his leadership, St. Bernadette became the largest parish in the newly established diocese, not only in size but also in the number and variety of services and ministries it offered.
In 1983, Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor with the title of monsignor.
He was appointed pastor of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma in 1987 and served there until 2003.
At the diocesan level in Houma-Thibodaux, Bishop Latino served as defender of the bond, dean, consultor, fiscal officer, chancellor and vicar general. Bishop Latino was elected as diocesan administrator on Dec. 19, 2002, after Bishop Michael Jarrell, Second Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, was appointed as the Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette. Just a few short weeks later at a press conference on Jan. 3, 2003, the announcement was made that then Msgr. Latino had been appointed the 10th Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson, MS. He was ordained a bishop and installed March 7, 2003, in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson.
Bishop Latino devoted his ministry as bishop to fostering Gospel-based social justice initiatives, lay leadership and vocations. While he was bishop, the office for Protection of Children was established to help ensure a safe environment for children in church parishes, schools and communities. Under his leadership the church implemented the new English translation of the Roman Missal.
He retired from active ministry Dec. 12, 2013. In his retirement he continued to minister through quiet prayer and reflection, sharing the wisdom he gained during his 59 years of priestly service and 83 years of life in Christ.
The following is an excerpt from a story written by Louis Aguirre that appeared in the Oct. 19, 1988, issue of the Bayou Catholic newspaper.
Msgr. Latino, who served the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux as director of the Office of Vocations from 1980 to 1985, can’t help but point out the key elements which led to his vocation – elements which he believes are greatly responsible for influencing others: The example of a priest, the influence of teachers and the love and encouragement of his family.
“The priest I so much admired as a young altar boy was great with kids, says Msgr. Latino. “I remember he took us on a picnic at St. Joseph Seminary. When I saw the place, I knew I wanted to return to study for the priesthood there.” The a
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monsignor says he was greatly influenced by the happiness, excitement and vigor which the priest exuded. Also influencing his decision were the Mount Carmel Sisters who taught at St. James Major. “They made me think about my vocation and guided me in the right path,” says Msgr. Latino.
Equally important in fostering a vocation for Msgr. Latino was the example set by his parents and family. “My family is very religious,” he says, “and they encouraged me to be a responsible altar boy. There is no doubt for me that my family had a strong influence in my vocation … not by forcing it, but by encouraging it.”
Msgr. Donald Ledet, retired priest of the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux who was ordained to the priesthood the same day as Bishop Latino, says he was very active and talented. “Bishop Latino was the kind of guy that everybody wanted to have as a friend. He liked to enjoy life; he joked and played around a lot, but when it was time to get serious, he could do that, too. For most of his priestly life, Bishop Named monsignor in 1983 Latino was close to the ‘power,’ the bishop and the operations of the diocese. He was a very capable man, active at the Pastoral Center, and he served in many leadership roles.”
Jerome Daigle, longtime parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma and personal friend of Bishop Latino, says he attended St. Joseph Seminary for four years of high school and one year of college with Bishop Latino from 1951 until 1956.
One special memory he has is of Bishop Latino baptizing his second daughter while he was serving as associate pastor at St. Francis de Sales parish in Houma from 19631968.
Daigle says as his pastor, Bishop Latino was very open to suggestions from his parishioners. Daigle was a member of the finance council when the cathedral was being renovated, and he recalls Bishop Latino working very well with the members of the council.
“He was very loved by the faithful. I remember that he had a strong devotion to Mary, and he was very committed to saving the unborn. He was a very good friend. He had a great sense of humor. My family and I felt very comfortable when we were with him. We had him over occasionally for dinner and to visit. He was very much a family man … was always close to his own family.”
Msgr. Frederic Brunet, retired priest of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, says he and Bishop Latino met for the first time at St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, when Bishop Latino entered at the age of 14 in 1951. At that time, Msgr. Brunet was 17 years old and beginning his third year of study. “We just liked each other from the start and that was beginning of a lifelong friendship,” says Msgr. Brunet. “We did all kinds of things together at St. Ben’s and then at Notre Dame Seminary. We even went on vacations together with other seminarians.”
They were assigned to teach together at St. John Prep High School Seminary in St. Teresa parish in New Orleans for about 5-6 years. They were also in charge of the boarding students there.
When the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux was being established, Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux, its first bishop, formed a committee to make decisions about things like who was going to be the vicar general, chancellor, vicars forane, what different departments and offices were needed, etc. aThe committee consisted of Msgr. Brunet, Bishop Latino,
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LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC Proud new Bishop Joseph N. Latino addresses the congregation after his episcopal ordination and installation at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson, MS, in 2003. Msgr. Francis Amedee, Msgr. John Newfield, Msgr. William Koninkx, Msgr. James Songy and Msgr. Albert Bergeron. Msgr. Brunet says it was an interesting and fun adventure working alongside Bishop Latino, and the others, during the formative years of the diocese.
In addition to working on various committees together through the years, sometimes the two pastors would get together after their day’s work was done and go out for pizza, and for many years they played golf together at least once a week.
“Joe was a great friend and a wonderful priest. He would help anyone any way he could. He was just a wonderful person … warm, kind, gentle and helpful. He had a good sense of humor, was a great storyteller and loved to entertain others. He had a way of bringing people together. His episcopal motto, ‘That All May Be One,’ was perfect because that’s the kind of person he was.”
Msgr. Brunet says of Bishop Latino, “There was one thing you always knew for sure about him … maybe you could doubt whether he was right or wrong about something, but … there was no doubt about his integrity, his sincerity and his dedication to the truth.” BC
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TEREZA MA/MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC Bishop Joseph Latino’s casket sits covered with the pall he donated to the Cathedral in memory of his parents, as Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile greets those gathered for the Mass.
Diocese of Jackson bids farewell to Bishop Emeritus Joseph N. Latino
By JOANNA PUDDISTER KING
JACKSON –Bishop Emeritus Joseph N. Latino, retired bishop of Jackson, who died May 28 at the age of 83 is remembered as a gentle and humble shepherd.
A native of New Orleans, Bishop Latino was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans at St. Louis Cathedral on May 25, 1963. During his priesthood, Bishop Latino served in parishes in New Orleans, Metairie, Houma and Thibodaux. When the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux was formed in 1977, he remained in the new diocese and served in many capacities including chancellor and vicar general. In 1983, Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor with the title of monsignor.
He was appointed the 10th Bishop of Jackson on Jan. 3, 2003, and was installed on March 7, 2003, in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson, the place of his final resting place.
Msgr. Elvin Sunds, who served as vicar general for nine years under Bishop Latino and enjoyed his friendship for many years afterward, described him as a “humble, gentle and kind bishop.”
In his homily at a prayer vigil for Bishop Latino on June 8 at the Cathedral, Msgr. Sunds spoke about Bishop Latino’s ewpiscopal motto – Ut Unum Sint – “That All May Be One.”
The motto came from the Gospel passage of John that was read at the vigil, explained Msgr. Sunds. “In that Gospel Jesus is praying for his disciples, and he also prays, ‘For those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us.’”
“Jesus’ prayer is that through the proclaiming of the Gospel, may we all share together in the life of God as one. That was the motto and the focus of Bishop Latino’s episcopal ministry. He wanted all of us to be one in Christ Jesus. He promoted that unity in Christ,” said Msgr. Sunds.
During his years as bishop, Bishop Latino fostered Gospel-based social justice initiatives, lay leadership and vocations. During his tenure the office for the Protection of Children was established to help insure a safe environment for children in our churches, schools and communities.
Msgr. Sunds described Bishop Latino’s social justice work mentioning that he publicly addressed such issues as racism, the rights of immigrants, care for the poor, the death penalty, and the right to life of the unborn during his tenure.
Bishop Latino’s nephew and godson, Martin Joseph Latino delivered remarks about ‘Uncle Joe’ at the vigil service sharing stories of humor, of mystery and a little bit about his favorite movie “A Man for All Seasons.”
It is still a mystery to Martin Latino how his Uncle Joe was able to call him in the a
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aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. At the time, Latino was the chief director of safety and was with the Mandeville Fire Department. With all of the cell towers down in the area, no one was able to receive any calls, but Uncle Joe got through.
“His message to me that day was don’t lose heart. Work hard. Restore your community. Be a leader and keep everyone safe. ... I still to this day do not know how he was able to get through,” said Latino.
In attendance at the Mass of Christian Burial on June 9, were bishops from around the region with Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile as celebrant, along with the priests of the Diocese of Jackson, seminarians, deacons and the people of the diocese. In his opening remarks, Archbishop Rodi extended his sympathy to Bishop Latino’s family, Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz and the people of the Diocese of Jackson.
“We gather here in sorrow over the loss of a powerful presence of a good man, a good priest, a good bishop, who in so many ways in his ministry blessed the people first in Louisiana, then in Mississippi,” said Archbishop Rodi.
During his homily at the funeral Mass, Bishop Kopacz recollected his first encounter with Bishop Latino seven and a half years ago at the Jackson airport. He recalled Bishop Latino smiling “to know he had a successor that was real,” laughed Bishop Kopacz. From that point the two grew in their friendship over the years and he shared stories of Bishop Latino’s background and interactions they had over the years through his last one hours before Bishop Latino’s death.
“My final encounter with Bishop Latino was sitting at his bedside within hours of his death, softly saying the rosary and praying ... as he slowly passed from this world to the next. I spoke the words that he no longer could,” shared Bishop Kopacz.
He also gave thanks for Bishop Latino’s trustworthy service for nearly six decades, through times of strength and his experiences of accepting the changes in his health.
“In his retirement at times he grieved the physical limitations that prevented him from serving more actively in the diocese. But at the foot of the Cross, his ministry of prayer and presence was a treasure for us. And his early monastic formation served him well in his later years. He could be in that state for prayer and through it all he trusted in the Lord, who called him forth from his youth and in holy fear he grew old in God,” said Bishop Kopacz.
Diocesan chancellor Mary Woodward also spoke at the vigil service on her special friendship with Bishop Latino, as he lifted up her talents, supported her and mentored her. The two of them, along with Bishop Houck, who passed in 2016, traveled to Rome many times. Woodward described the last trip they had to Rome for an ‘ad limina,’ where they also added a trip to Sicily to the Latino family’s ancestral hometown of Contessa Entellina.
Woodward described Bishop Latino as “energized” by the trip and said that he was excited that he would be
able to celebrate a private Mass in the home church of his grandparents. “But when the doors opened the church was packed with the townspeople coming to see this bishop from America,” Woodward mused. Bishop Latino was always there for her and she for him, making sure he was “ok” until the end of his earthly life, just as the women in the Gospel wanted to do for Jesus. Most did not know that Bishop Latino was in constant pain for the last 40 years. “He had nerve pain in his legs and it never subsided,” said Woodward. “He bore that Cross with such grace and elegance.” Through many surgeries over the years to help relieve the pain, Woodward often felt like a “cheerleader” who was there to “help him carry the Cross.” “And that last day, ... I felt like I went from helping him Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile was the main celebrant of the Mass of Christian Burial along with the priests of the Diocese of Jackson, and bishops from around the region. carry the Cross to being at the foot of the Cross. ... It was a beautiful witness to ‘I’m in God’s hands. God’s going to take care of me. It’s ok,’” said Woodward who was with Bishop Latino up until his passing. “I don’t ever think that I could say in a few minutes the profound impact he has had on me and on all of us.” Woodward also took great care in organizing Bishop Latino’s vigil and Mass of Christian Burial, making sure all elements he wanted were included. As an “opera aficionado,” Woodward made sure to include some opera. During the vigil, Woodward included a piece from Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni. The significance being that Bishop Latino would come in most mornings into their shared office humming that tune. She even had to step away during the vigil upon hearing it. “The witness of his life, the witness of him carrying that pain was something that strengthens me and I feel very privileged to have been able to walk that journey with him. I will be forever changed,” said Woodward. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” BC
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JOANNA PUDDISTER KING/MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC Benjamin Patin of Sebrell Funeral Home, Wesley Lindsey, Carlisle Beggerly, Tristan Stovall, Grayson Foley, Father Nick Adam and Brother Sterling Foley carry Bishop Joseph Latino’s casket into the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle for the evening wake service.
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TEREZA MA/MISSISSIPPI CATHOLIC Bishop Shelton J. Fabre prays the Rite of Final Commendation.
