Martin David Holley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Excellency, The Most Reverend Martin David Holley |
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| Bishop Emeritus of Memphis | |
| Diocese | Memphis |
| Appointed | August 23, 2016 |
| Enthroned | October 19, 2016 |
| Predecessor | J. Terry Steib |
| Successor | David Talley |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 18, 1987 |
| Consecration | July 2, 2004 by Theodore Edgar McCarrick, John Ricard, and Leonard Olivier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 31, 1954 Pensacola, Florida |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | In aeternum misericordia eius (His mercy endures forever) |
| Styles of Martin David Holley |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Martin David Holley (born December 31, 1954) is an American leader in the Catholic Church. He served as the bishop of the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee. He held this role from 2016 to 2018. He was later asked to step down from his position.
Before becoming bishop of Memphis, Holley was an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.. He served there from 2004 to 2016.
Contents
Martin Holley's Early Life and School
Growing Up in Florida
Martin Holley was born in Pensacola, Florida. He went to Tate High School in Cantonment, Florida, and graduated in 1973. While in high school, he played basketball and was active in student government.
After high school, Holley attended Faulkner State Junior College. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1975. He then went to Alabama State University, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Management degree. He was a talented basketball player and involved in student government at both colleges.
College and Seminary Studies
Holley continued his studies at the Theological College at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Later, he attended St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. There, he earned a Master of Divinity degree.
Martin Holley's Church Roles
Becoming a Priest
On May 8, 1987, Martin Holley became a priest. He was ordained for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. The ceremony was led by Bishop Joseph Symons. It took place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida.
As a priest, Holley served in several parishes. He was an associate pastor and administrator at St. Mary Catholic Parish in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He also served at St. Paul Parish and Little Flower Parish in Pensacola.
Important Church Groups
Holley was part of many important church groups. He was a member of the diocesan council of priests. He also served as the spiritual director for the Serra Club of West Florida. He helped guide and teach in the permanent diaconate program. Holley directed the Department of Ethnic Concerns for the diocese. He was also a member of the Joint Conference of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus.
Auxiliary Bishop in Washington D.C.
On May 18, 2004, Pope John Paul II chose Holley to be an auxiliary bishop. He became the titular bishop of Rusubisir for the Diocese of Washington D.C. He was officially consecrated as a bishop on July 2, 2004. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick led this ceremony.
In November 2014, Holley was chosen by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). He joined the board of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.
For 12 years, Holley served as an auxiliary bishop. He also worked as the vicar general for non-Hispanic ethnic ministries. He was involved with several community and religious groups. These included the Washington InterFaith Network and Catholic Athletes for Christ. He also held roles within the archdiocese, like being part of the College of Consultors.
Bishop of Memphis
On August 23, 2016, Pope Francis appointed Holley as the bishop of the Diocese of Memphis. He officially began his role on October 19, 2016.
Soon after arriving, Bishop Holley made some changes. He asked all parish priests to submit their resignations. He then reappointed them as "parochial administrators." This allowed him to move about 75% of the pastors to new parishes. He did not explain why these transfers were made. Holley also appointed Monsignor Clement J. Machado to several key positions.
In January 2018, the diocese announced the closure of ten schools. These were part of the Memphis Jubilee Catholic Schools network. These schools were started in 1999 to help children from families with less money. The reason given for the closures was a lack of funds.
In June 2018, some concerns were raised about the diocese's operations. There was also a decrease in donations from parishes. The Vatican sent Archbishops Wilton Gregory and Bernard Hebda to Memphis. They spent three days meeting with many priests. A few days after their visit, Monsignor Machado resigned from his positions. The results of this visit were not made public.
Bishop Holley's Retirement
In 2018, Pope Francis asked Bishop Holley to resign from his role. However, Holley did not agree to resign. On October 24, 2018, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had removed Holley as bishop of Memphis. The reason given was his "management of the diocese." Pope Francis then appointed Archbishop Joseph Kurtz to temporarily oversee the diocese. This was until a new bishop could be chosen.
On October 25, 2018, Holley spoke to the Catholic News Agency. He said he believed his removal was due to disagreements with other church leaders. A spokesman for Cardinal Wuerl stated that the Vatican's visit led to Holley's removal. On March 5, 2019, Pope Francis appointed Bishop David Talley as the new bishop of Memphis.
See also
In Spanish: Martin Holley para niños
