Josu Iriondo


Josu Iriondo is a retired Spanish American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 2001 to 2014.

Biography

Early life and education

One of seven children, Josu Iriondo was born in Legazpi, Spain, to Rufino and Maria Leona Iriondo. He was educated in Spanish but spoke Basque at home.
Iriondo decided to pursue the priesthood and then entered the minor seminary of the Canons Regular of the Lateran, an independent Augustinian community, at age 12. He later joined the Canons Regular, and attended Sagrado Corazon Seminary in Oñati and the Collegio San Vittore in Rome. From 1958 to 1962, he studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Ordination and ministry

Iriondo was ordained for the Diocese of San Sebastián on December 23, 1962. He then served as professor and master of discipline at a seminary of the Canons Regular, and traveled through Europe on duties related to his religious order. He also taught at the National Institute, a regional public high school, where served as school secretary as well.
Iriondo came to the United States in 1968, accepting an invitation for Spanish priests to the Archdiocese of New York. He then served as chaplain to the Sisters of the Servants of Mary until 1969, whence he became parochial vicar at in Middletown. He later served as St. Lucy's Church and Holy Rosary Church in Manhattan.
Iriondo was named parochial vicar and then pastor of Our Savior Church in the Bronx. In 1990, he was appointed director of both the Hispanic Catholic Center and the Charismatic Renewal Movement. He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of New York in 1996, and named Vicar for Hispanics in 1997. Iriondo became pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in 2001.

Auxiliary Bishop of New York

On October 30, 2001, Iriondo was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York, New York and Titular Bishop of Alton by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 12 from Edward Cardinal Egan, with Bishops Henry Mansell and Robert Brucato serving as co-consecrators. He selected as his episcopal motto: "Dominum et Vivificantem"
Bishop Iriondo's resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on Saturday, February 1, 2014.

Episcopal succession