Michael T. Martin | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Charlotte | |
| Church | Catholic |
| See | Charlotte |
| Appointed | April 9, 2024 |
| Installed | May 29, 2024 |
| Predecessor | Peter Joseph Jugis |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 10, 1989 by John Huston Ricard |
| Consecration | May 29, 2024 by Gregory John Hartmayer,Christophe Pierre, andPeter Joseph Jugis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1961-12-02)December 2, 1961 (age 64) |
| Education | Saint Hyacinth Seminary Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure Boston College |
| Motto | Duc in altum (Put out into the deep) |
| Styles of Michael Thomas Martin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Michael Thomas MartinOFM Conv. (born December 2, 1961) is anAmerican Catholic prelate who has served asbishop of Charlotte since 2024. He is a member of theOrder of Friars Minor Conventual.
Michael Martin was born on December 2, 1961, inBaltimore, Maryland, to Beverly Beatty and Donald Martin. He attendedArchbishop Curley High School in that city. After high school, Martin entered the Franciscannovitiate atEllicott City, Maryland, in August 1979 and professed hissolemn vows to the order on August 2, 1985.[1][2] In the meantime he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Saint Hyacinth Seminary inGranby, Massachusetts, aBaccalaureate in Sacred Theology from thePontifical University of St. Bonaventure in Rome, and aMaster of Education degree fromBoston College.
Martin was ordained to thepriesthood for the Franciscan Order on June 10, 1989, by BishopJohn Huston Ricard atSt. Casimir Church in Baltimore.[3][4] After his ordination, the Franciscans assigned Martin as a teacher and coach atSaint Francis High School inAthol Springs, New York.
In 1994, he was transferred to back to Baltimore to teach and coach at Archbishop Curley High School. He was ultimately named as principal and then president at the school. Martin led a successful $7 million capital campaign at Archbishop Curley and increased its enrollment after a decline during the 1990s.[3][5] Because of his work at Bishop Curley, the Vatican awarded Martin itsPro Ecclesia et Pontifice award in 2007.[3]
In 2010, the Franciscans sent Martin toNorth Carolina to serve as director of theDuke University Catholic Center.[3] After twelve years at Duke, Martin received his first pastoral appointment as pastor of St. Philip Benizi Church inJonesboro, Georgia.[3]
On April 9, 2024,Pope Francis accepted the resignation of BishopPeter Jugis of Charlotte due to health reason and appointed Martin as his successor.[3][6][7] With Martin's appointment, the Conventual Franciscans became the most represented religious community among theactive bishops of the United States.[8]
Martin'sepiscopal consecration occurred on May 29, 2024, at St. Mark Catholic Church inHuntersville, North Carolina.[9] He was consecrated by ArchbishopGregory Hartmayer, with Jugis and CardinalChristophe Pierre serving as co-consecrators.[4]
The Pillar reported that on April 1, 2025, CardinalRobert Prevost, the future Pope Leo XIV and at the time the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, met with Martin to discuss the speed of changes within the diocese. The meeting reportedly was not disciplinary, but "fraternal", encouraging Martin to take time before making major decisions in the diocese. The incident reportedly spurring the meeting was a proposal, met with mixed reviews in the diocese, to move the diocesan cathedral outside of the city of Charlotte.[10]
In May of 2025, Martin sparked controversy by restricting celebration of theTridentine Mass from four parish churches to just one chapel in the diocese in accord with Francis' motu proprioTraditionis custodes.[11][12][13] At the same time, leaked documents from the Charlotte diocese showed drafts of plans to restrict kneeling to receive the Eucharist, the use of Latin in the liturgy, and Roman-style liturgical vestments.[11][14] In September of the same year, Martin prohibited the use of thealtar rail atCharlotte Catholic High School.[15][16][17]
In December 2025, Martin issued a pastoral letter on instructions for receiving Holy Communion within the diocese of Charlotte. In it, he announced that from January 16, 2026, altar rails would be prohibited with him stating in his decree that
"The episcopal conference norms logically do not envision the use of altar rails, kneelers, or prie-dieus for the reception of communion. Doing so is a visible contradiction to the normative posture of Holy Communion established by our episcopal conferences. Instead, the instruction emphasizes that receiving Holy Communion is to be done as the members of the faithful go in procession, witnessing that the Church journeys forward and receives Holy Communion as a pilgrim people on their way."[18]
As well as instructing clergy, catechists, ministers of Holy Communion, and teachers "not to teach that some other manner is better, preferred, more efficacious, etc." Martin, also announced in his letter, provisions for receivingcommunion under both kinds, and the use ofextraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.[19]
In January 2026 Bishop Michael Martin reinstated Father Patrick Hoare who had previously been removed due to credible allegations of misconduct.[20]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Charlotte 2024–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
