Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on January 17, 1933 to Michael A. and Caroline Marzitello Saltarelli. Bishop Saltarelli is one of seven children.
He attended Holy Rosary Elementary School and Ferris High School in Jersey City. In 1956 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Seton Hall University and began his study of theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, NJ. In 1975 he received a Master's Degree in Religious Studies from Manhattan College.
Archbishop Thomas A. Boland ordained him to the priesthood in Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark, NJ on May 28, 1960. He served as an associate pastor at Holy Family Church in Nutley, New Jersey from June 1960 to August 1977. He served as pastor of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Bayonne, New Jersey from 1977 until August 1982.
Archbishop Peter L. Gerety appointed him Executive Director for Pastoral Services in the Archdiocese of Newark in 1982. In 1984, Pope John Paul II named Bishop Saltarelli a Prelate of Honor with the title of Monsignor. On June 1, 1985, he was appointed pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena Church in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
In November 1987, Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick appointed him Vicar for Priests. Bishop Saltarelli has served as Dean of North Essex, Dean of Bayonne and Dean of West Essex. He served two terms as a member of the Priests' Personnel Board, one term as President of that Board and also was a member of the Archdiocesan School Board.
The appointment of Bishop Saltarelli as Titular Bishop of Mesarfelta and Auxiliary Bishop of Newark was announced on June 12, 1990. He also became the Rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral while continuing to serve as Vicar for Priests. In 1992, he became the National Episcopal Moderator of the Holy Name Society. He also served as New Jersey State Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.
On November 21, 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Saltarelli to be the Eighth Bishop of the See of Wilmington. The Bishop established seven priorities for the Diocese of Wilmington:
1. To conduct an aggressive campaign throughout the Diocese to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life
2. To develop and implement a comprehensive pastoral plan for ministry to hispanic people
3. To assess diocesan offices and ministries to assure efficiency and effectiveness
4. To establish new parishes and schools
5. To explore models of parish ministry closely examining the role of the clergy and the laity in these models
6. To evangelize the unchurched and alienated African American community
7. To develop and implement a comprehensive plan for ministry on college campuses
Bishop Saltarelli is presiding over an era of expansion and growth in the Diocese of Wilmington. A three-year capital campaign Bringing the Vision to Life addresses the needs of a growing diocesan family of nearly 200,000 to build, renovate and expand churches, schools and other facilities throughout the Diocese.
Bishop Saltarelli has made significant contributions on national Catholic discussions concerning the sanctity of human life in the womb and all its stages, the need to reach out to inactive Catholics, the need for a consistent use of the Catholic funeral rites and the importance of solid Catholic marriage preparation. Bishop Saltarelli's Pastoral Statement "How to Reach Inactive Catholics" was the lead contribution in the January 27, 2000 edition of Origins.
Bishop Saltarelli is an active member of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He serves on the Bishop's Committee on the Laity, the Bishop's Committee on Religious Retirement and the Board of Trustees for Catholic Relief Services. From 1996-1999, he served on the United States Catholic Conference Committee on Education and the subcommittee on Catechesis. From 1997 to 2000, he served on the United States Catholic Conference Committee on African American Catholics.