The Madeiran priest Martins Júnior, who was suspended ‘a divinis’ for 42 years, passed away Thursday night at the age of 86, as announced by the Diocese of Funchal on its official website.
The judge advisor, through a note sent to newsrooms by his office, highlights the work of the priest, born in 1938, emphasizing that he was a “key figure in the history of the Autonomous Region of Madeira over the last six decades.”
“A defender of freedom, democracy, and civic participation, both before and after the April 1974 Revolution, he courageously fought for the betterment of the poorest and most humble in our society, in Ribeira Seca, Machico, and our Region,” writes the representative of the Republic’s office.
Alongside his work as a priest, “often controversial,” José Martins Júnior “developed a significant career as a politician, writer, poet, musician, and cultural promoter, with several major works defending regional traditions.”
“For his civic involvement, Father Martins Júnior was honored by the President of the Republic in 1995, with the Order of Merit,” further notes the office of Ireneu Barreto, offering condolences to the family and friends.
Born on November 16, 1938, and ordained as a priest on August 15, 1962, Martins Júnior was suspended “a divinis” in July 1977 by then Bishop of Funchal Francisco Santana, but he never ceased performing religious services in the parish he was assigned to in 1969.
The priest was early involved in politics and clashed with church authorities, yet continued to enjoy local support, conducting religious services, baptisms, and marriages.
In June 2019, the current Bishop of the Diocese of Funchal, Nuno Brás, announced the revocation of the suspension, a decision that had significant regional media impact, and appointed Martins Júnior as parish administrator of Ribeira Seca, a position he held until the new parish priest, Canon Manuel Ramos, took office in February 2023.
“It was a very particular case,” said Nuno Brás at the time, emphasizing that the revocation of the suspension was a measure “demanded by almost everyone” and “was actually relatively easy to make that decision.”
Martins Júnior had been suspended for refusing to hand over the key to the church of Ribeira Seca to Bishop Francisco Santana and was actively involved in regional public and political life, serving as Mayor of Machico for the UDP (1989) and PS (1993), and as a deputy in the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, having been elected four times on the UDP’s lists and three times on the PS’s lists.
Before celebrating his last mass on February 5, 2023, the priest stated to the regional press that, throughout his journey, he served the people of God, not the Catholic Church.
