Francis Joseph Green

Francis Joseph Green (July 7, 1906 – May 11, 1995) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Tucson in Arizona from 1960 to 1981.

Biography

Early life Francis Green was born on July 7, 1906, in Corning, New York. The family moved to Prescott, Arizona, following his father's death in 1919. As a young man, Green labored in the workshops of the Santa Fe Railroad. Green completed his theological studies at St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park, California. He later became pastor of the SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Tucson in 1937. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council in Rome between 1962 and 1965, calling it "one of the great experiences of [his] life." Green was instrumental in founding the Arizona Ecumenical Council, became an advocate of social justice, and provide ministries for African American, Native American, and Hispanic Catholics.

Retirement and legacy Pope John Paul II accepted Green's resignation as bishop of Tucson on July 28, 1981. Francis Green died in Tucson on May 11, 1995, at age 88.