The Reverend Monsignor Victor B. Galeone, currently Pastor of St. Agnes parish in Catonsville, Maryland, was named Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida today by Pope John Paul II.
Bishop-elect Galeone was born in Philadelphia, PA on September 13, 1935. He received his elementary education at St. Elizabeth School in Baltimore. His high school and initial college studies were at St. Charles College in Catonsville (now closed). He resided at the Pontifical North American College in Rome and completed his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University there 1955-1961. In Rome on December 18, 1960 he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
He served two periods as a missionary priest in Peru (1970-1975 and 1978-1985). He speaks fluent Spanish.
Bishop-elect Galeone was pastor of St. Bernard parish, since renamed Holy Korean Martyrs (1985-1989), and St. Thomas More parish (1989-1996). In December 1995 the Holy Father named him a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor). In 1995, Cardinal Keeler named him Archdiocesan Director of the Office of the Propagation of the Faith. He became pastor of St. Agnes parish in Catonsville in 1996.
Bishop-elect Galeone will fill a vacancy left by the retirement on December 12, 2000 of Bishop John J. Snyder. At the Holy Father’s request, Bishop Snyder has been serving as Diocesan Administrator and will continue to do so until August 21, 2001 when Monsignor Galeone will be installed as the ninth Bishop of St. Augustine.
Point of contact is Ray Kempisty at 410-547-5378.