Joseph Victor Adamec

{{Short description|American Roman Catholic prelate (1935–2019)}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type = Bishop

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend

| name = Joseph Victor Adamec

| title = Bishop of Altoona–Johnstown

| image =

| caption =

| church = Roman Catholic

| archdiocese =

| diocese =

| appointed = March 12, 1987

| enthroned = May 20, 1987

| ended = January 14, 2011

| predecessor = James John Hogan

| successor = Mark Leonard Bartchak

| ordination = June 3, 1960

| ordained_by = Luigi Traglia

| consecration = May 20, 1987

| consecrated_by = Jozef Tomko, James John Hogan, and Francis Frederick Reh

| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|8|13|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Bannister, Michigan, US

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|3|20|1935|8|13|mf=y}}

| death_place = Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, US

| nationality =

| coat_of_arms =

| motto = Household of God

| see = Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown

}}

{{Infobox bishopstyles

| name= Joseph Victor Adamec

| dipstyle=

| offstyle=Your Excellency

| relstyle=Bishop

| image = Coat of arms of Joseph V. Adamec.svg

| image_size = 200px

}}

Joseph Victor Adamec (August 13, 1935 – March 20, 2019){{cite news |last1=Havener |first1=Crispin |title=Former Altoona-Johnstown Bishop Joseph Adamec dead at 83 |url=https://wjactv.com/news/local/former-altoona-johnstown-bishop-joseph-adamec-dead-at-83 |work=WJAC |date=21 March 2019}} was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania from 1987 to 2011.{{cite news |last=Rice |first=Ruth |title=Holy season: Clergy will focus on manger scene during worship services |url=http://tribune-democrat.com/features/x1742862136/Holy-season-Clergy-will-focus-on-manger-scene-during-worship-services |access-date=December 23, 2010 |newspaper=Tribune-Democrat |date=December 23, 2010}}

On March 1, 2016, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane implied that as bishop, Adamec led a major cover-up scandal involving the sexual assault of hundreds of children by Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown priests.{{cite web|url=http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/03/altoona_diocese_catholic_clerg.html|title=Priests and church leaders sexually abused hundreds of children in Altoona Diocese: AG office|date=March 2016|website=PennLive.com|access-date=October 16, 2017}}

Biography

= Early life =

Joseph Adamec was born on August 13, 1935, in Bannister, Michigan, the son of Michal August Adamec and Alzbeta Eva Ochran Adamec.{{cite book|title=Who's Who in Religion|date=1977|page=3|publisher=Marquis Who's Who, Inc.|location=Chicago|isbn=0-8379-1602-X}} He attended Michigan State University from 1953 to 1955, and studied for the priesthood at the Pontifical Nepomucene College in Rome.

= Priesthood =

Adamec was ordained by Cardinal Luigi 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 earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in 1961.

Adamec returned to serve the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan, where he served in numerous capacities, including secretary of the bishop and master of ceremonies, ecclesiastical notary, and chancellor of the diocese. In 1980 he received the "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice" medal which recognized service to the Catholic Church and pope. In 1985, Adamec was named a prelate of honor. 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.

= Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown =

On March 12, 1987, Adamec was named the bishop of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. He was consecrated on May 20, 1987, in the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament by Jozef Cardinal Tomko.{{cite web |title=Bishop's Biography |url=http://www.ajdiocese.org/bishops-biography |publisher=Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona Johnstown |access-date=December 23, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222022215/http://www.ajdiocese.org/bishops-biography |archive-date=December 22, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}

His retirement and the appointment of his successor were announced on January 14, 2011. Mark Leonard Bartchak, of the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, was named his successor.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

Joseph Adamec died in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 2019, at age 83.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}