Bishop Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D. was born in Philadelphia and was ordained in 1964. He attended Lateran University in Rome, where he received his doctorate in canon law, and later the University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome, where he received his Master’s Degree in Spiritual Theology.
He served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia until he was named by Pope John Paul II in December 1986 to be Undersecretary of the Congregation for Religious in Rome. He was a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Communications.
In October 1992 he was named Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, Texas. A year and a half later he was installed as Bishop of Beaumont, Texas. He became Coadjutor Bishop of Dallas in January 2000.
On April 30, 2004, Bishop Galante returned to the Philadelphia area and was installed as seventh bishop of the Diocese of Camden.
Soon after his installation in the Diocese of Camden, he hosted 138 “Speak Up Sessions” over 15 months, to obtain feedback directly from parishioners, clergy, religious and others on the ministerial priorities of the diocese. This consultation led to a multi-year planning process that has sought to address pressing challenges while revitalizing parish life in every area of the diocese.
To serve the needs of the people of the diocese as expressed in these priorities, the diocese took several ambitious steps. Parishes were reconfigured from 124 parishes to 70. Also deaneries, groupings of parishes that work together in particular regions, were reorganized to be more representative of the diversity of the diocese and to put them into a position to be more collaborative with each other.
Also the diocese established a virtual university by reaching agreements with several institutions of higher learning to provide cost effective education in ministry and Church administration.
Bishop Galante retired on January 8, 2013.