Joseph Victor Adamec is the former Bishop

Bishop (Catholic Church)

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....

 of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is a Roman Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania. It was established in May 1901 as the Diocese of Altoona; on October 9, 1957 the name changed to the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. It consists of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Huntingdon and...

. Born in Bannister, Michigan, Bishop Joseph studied for the priesthood at the Pontifical Nepomucene College in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 and earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology

Sacred theology

Sacred theology is the name given to the theological degrees offered in a number of theological colleges, including the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church.It is offered at the following levels:*Bachelor of Sacred Theology...

 at the Pontifical Lateran University

Pontifical Lateran University

The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...

. He was ordained by Aloysius Cardinal Traglia in the Church of St. Anselm in Rome on July 3, 1960, for the Diocese of Nitra in Slovakia (the former diocese of his parents). He then returned to serve the diocese of Saginaw. He served in numerous capacities including Secretary of the Bishop and Master of Ceremonies

Master of Ceremonies

A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....

, and Chancellor

Chancellor

Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...

 of the Diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

. In 1980 he received the "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice" medal which recognized service to the Church

Christian Church

The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...

 and Pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

. In 1985, he was named a Prelate of Honor. Bishop Adamec also served as the National President of the Slovak Catholic Federation, a position he was elected to in 1971 and held for seventeen years. On March 12, 1987, he was named the Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. He was consecrated on May 20, 1987 in the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament

Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Altoona)

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at One Cathedral Square in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It is within the boundaries of the Downtown Altoona Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992....

 by Jozef Cardinal Tomko

Jozef Cardinal Tomko

Jozef Tomko is a Slovak Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 1985 to 2001, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1985.-Early life and ordination:...

.
His retirement and the appointment of his successor were announced on January 14, 2011. Mark Leonard Bartchak

Mark Leonard Bartchak

Mark Leonard Bartchak is the Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania.Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Bartchak was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania on May 15, 1988...

, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie

Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie is a Roman Catholic diocese in western Pennsylvania. It was founded on July 29, 1853. It is one of seven suffragan sees in Pennsylvania that make up the Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia, which is headed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-...

, Pennsylvania, was named his successor.