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St. Joseph Healthcare has announced the appointment of the Rev. John Austin as St. Joseph Hospital chaplain in Bangor.

Austin served as chaplain at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for three years. Before that assignment, he served as assistant to the Rev. Claude Albert at the Holy Family Church in Lewiston.

Austin was ordained on May 24, 1997, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland. He attended Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Mass.

Austin was reared in Bronx, N.Y. He served as a U.S. Marine for three years after being drafted in 1952, then became a certified special education teacher in the New York public school system, where he worked for 25 years. He retired from his teaching career in 1991 while enrolled in seminary.

Austin and the pastoral care team at St. Joseph help care for the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families. Pastoral care services are available 24 hours a day.