Joseph Martin Sartoris

Joseph Martin Sartoris was an American Catholic prelate who served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California from 1994 to 2002.

Biography

Early life

Sartoris was born in Los Angeles, California on July 1, 1927. He studied at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California.

Priesthood

On May 30, 1953, Sartoris was ordained into the priesthood by Cardinal James McIntyre for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. After his ordination, Sartoris was assigned as an associate pastor to several parishes. He then served as a teacher and assistant principal at Bishop Conaty High School in Los Angeles for several years. Sartoris then returned to parish ministry while also serving as administrator pro tempore at Dolores Mission parish and administrator at Nativity Parish, both in Los Angeles.
Sartoris' first assignment as pastor was at St. Madeleine Parish in Pomona, California. In 1978, he was named pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Lomita, California. He remained at St. Margaret as pastor until his appointment as auxiliary bishop for the San Pedro Region in 1994.

Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles

On February 8, 1994, Pope John Paul II appointed Sartoris as the titular bishop of Oliva and as an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles. He was consecrated a bishop by Cardinal Roger Mahony on March 19,1994 at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana in Los Angeles. Sartoris led the archdiocese's San Pedro Pastoral Region from 1994 to 2002. On December 31, 2002, John Paul II accepted Sartoris' letter of resignation as he had reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.

Death

Sartoris died June 27, 2025, at the age of 97.