Joseph Abel Francis

Joseph Abel Francis SVD (1923–1997) was an American Catholic bishop. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark from 1976 to 1995.

The Most Reverend Joseph A. Francis SVD
Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Newark
Church	Catholic Church
See	Titular See of Valliposita
Appointed	May 3, 1976
In office	June 25, 1976 – June 30, 1995
Orders
Ordination	October 7, 1950
Consecration	June 25, 1976 by Peter Leo Gerety
Personal details
Born	September 30, 1923 Lafayette, Louisiana, US
Died	September 1, 1997 (aged 73)

Biography

Born on September 30, 1923, in Lafayette, Louisiana, Joseph Francis was brother of Norman Francis. He was ordained a priest for the Society of the Divine Word on October 7, 1950.

On May 3, 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed him as the Titular Bishop of Valliposita and Auxiliary Bishop of Newark. He was consecrated by Archbishop Peter Gerety on June 25, 1976. The principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Boland and Auxiliary Bishop Harold Perry of New Orleans.

Francis continued to serve as an auxiliary bishop until his resignation was accepted by Pope John Paul II on June 30, 1995.

He died at the age of 73 on September 1, 1997.[1][2]

References

1. "Bishop Joseph Abel Francis, S.V.D." Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
2. "Bishops who are not Ordinaries of Sees". Giga-Catholic. Archived from the original on 2013-08-23. Retrieved 2013-07-17.