Joseph Nunzio Latino
Encyclopedia
Joseph Nunzio Latino is the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Jackson
(Mississippi
, USA
).
.
He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, Louisiana and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1963.
He has served as an associate pastor at St. Francis de Sales in Houma. He was assigned to St. John Prep Seminary in New Orleans as teacher and spiritual director in 1968–69.
From 1969–1971 he was assigned to St. Philip the Apostle Church in the Desire Project.
He served as pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Houma, Louisiana 1972–1987, at which time he was appointed Rector of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral. During the intervening years he has served as Vocation Director for the Diocese and was named a Monsignor with the title Prelate of Honor in January 1983. He also has been the Vicar General as well as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.
After the occasion of Bishop Michael Jarrell leaving the diocese to become the Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana, Monsignor Latino was elected by the Consultors to be the Administrator of the diocese. Soon after he was appointed by Pope John Paul II
to the position as the 10th bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The episcopal heraldic achievement, of bishop's coat of arms, is composed of a shield, with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll and the external ornaments. The shield, which is the central most important feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th century terms, that are archaic to our modern language, and this description is done as if being given by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, it must be remembered, where it applies, that the terms dexter and sinister are reversed as the device is viewed from the front.
Arms
By heraldic tradition, the arms of the bishop of a diocese, called the "Ordinary" are joined to the arms of the his jurisdiction, seen in the dexter impalement (left side) of the shield. In this case, these arms of the Diocese of Jackson. These arms are composed of a golden (yellow) field on which is displayed a red cross "potent." When the City of Jackson was established the second See City for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson in 1957, the cross that had been used in the arms of Natchez was incorporated into the new design. In 1977 when the diocese was renamed for the new, singular See City of Jackson the cross with a cross arm on each arm was retained to reflect the heritage of The Faith in this portion of the State of Mississippi. Below the cross are wavy blue and silver (white) bars to represent the waters of the Mississippi which are such an integral part of the geography of the Diocese. For his personal arms, seen in the sinister impalement (right side) of the shield, Bishop Latino has adopted a design that reflects his heritage and his life as a priest of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The design is divided into four sections that looks like and "X", heraldically known as "saltair", with gold and red vertical bars on the top and bottom and silver fields on either side, are the ancient arms of the Kingdom of Sicily, used to reflect Bishop Latino's Sicilian heritage. In the silver fields on either side of the design the black displayed eagles of the Sicilian arms have been replaced by a blue fleur-de-lis and a blue magnolia blossom to reflect the heritage that has come to the Bishop from New Orleans, where the Bishop was born, and the surrounding region. In the base of the gold bars from the upper portion have been replaced by a golden carpenter's square, issuant from the sides, to honor the bishop's Baptisimal patron, St. Joseph, and that this arrangement is used in the arms of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux where Bishop Latino was serving as Vicar General when he was called to be Bishop of Jackson.
Motto
For his motto, Bishop Latino has selected the phrase "UT UNUM SINT", which is Latin for "That all may be one." This phrase, taken from St. John's Gospel (John 17:11) expresses Bishop Latino's profound belief that as each of us is one in Christ in our Baptism, so may we all be one in the brotherhood of belief in Him who came to save the world.
External
The device is completed with the external ornaments which are the processional cross, which is placed in back of the shield and which extends above and below the shield, and a pontifical hat, called a "gallero", with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all green. These are the heraldic insignia of the prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of The Holy See of March 31, 1969.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
(Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
).
Early life and career
Latino was born in New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, Louisiana and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1963.
He has served as an associate pastor at St. Francis de Sales in Houma. He was assigned to St. John Prep Seminary in New Orleans as teacher and spiritual director in 1968–69.
From 1969–1971 he was assigned to St. Philip the Apostle Church in the Desire Project.
He served as pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Houma, Louisiana 1972–1987, at which time he was appointed Rector of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral. During the intervening years he has served as Vocation Director for the Diocese and was named a Monsignor with the title Prelate of Honor in January 1983. He also has been the Vicar General as well as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.
After the occasion of Bishop Michael Jarrell leaving the diocese to become the Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana, Monsignor Latino was elected by the Consultors to be the Administrator of the diocese. Soon after he was appointed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
to the position as the 10th bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
Coat of Arms
OverviewThe episcopal heraldic achievement, of bishop's coat of arms, is composed of a shield, with its charges (symbols), a motto scroll and the external ornaments. The shield, which is the central most important feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th century terms, that are archaic to our modern language, and this description is done as if being given by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. Thus, it must be remembered, where it applies, that the terms dexter and sinister are reversed as the device is viewed from the front.
Arms
By heraldic tradition, the arms of the bishop of a diocese, called the "Ordinary" are joined to the arms of the his jurisdiction, seen in the dexter impalement (left side) of the shield. In this case, these arms of the Diocese of Jackson. These arms are composed of a golden (yellow) field on which is displayed a red cross "potent." When the City of Jackson was established the second See City for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson in 1957, the cross that had been used in the arms of Natchez was incorporated into the new design. In 1977 when the diocese was renamed for the new, singular See City of Jackson the cross with a cross arm on each arm was retained to reflect the heritage of The Faith in this portion of the State of Mississippi. Below the cross are wavy blue and silver (white) bars to represent the waters of the Mississippi which are such an integral part of the geography of the Diocese. For his personal arms, seen in the sinister impalement (right side) of the shield, Bishop Latino has adopted a design that reflects his heritage and his life as a priest of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The design is divided into four sections that looks like and "X", heraldically known as "saltair", with gold and red vertical bars on the top and bottom and silver fields on either side, are the ancient arms of the Kingdom of Sicily, used to reflect Bishop Latino's Sicilian heritage. In the silver fields on either side of the design the black displayed eagles of the Sicilian arms have been replaced by a blue fleur-de-lis and a blue magnolia blossom to reflect the heritage that has come to the Bishop from New Orleans, where the Bishop was born, and the surrounding region. In the base of the gold bars from the upper portion have been replaced by a golden carpenter's square, issuant from the sides, to honor the bishop's Baptisimal patron, St. Joseph, and that this arrangement is used in the arms of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux where Bishop Latino was serving as Vicar General when he was called to be Bishop of Jackson.
Motto
For his motto, Bishop Latino has selected the phrase "UT UNUM SINT", which is Latin for "That all may be one." This phrase, taken from St. John's Gospel (John 17:11) expresses Bishop Latino's profound belief that as each of us is one in Christ in our Baptism, so may we all be one in the brotherhood of belief in Him who came to save the world.
External
The device is completed with the external ornaments which are the processional cross, which is placed in back of the shield and which extends above and below the shield, and a pontifical hat, called a "gallero", with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all green. These are the heraldic insignia of the prelate of the rank of bishop by instruction of The Holy See of March 31, 1969.