Joseph-Marie-Eugene Martin was born and baptised in Orléans. He later dropped the name "Eugene". He studied at the seminary in Bordeaux before serving in the French Army during World War I, during which he was seriously wounded. Martin was ordained to the priesthood on 18 December 1920, and then did pastoral work in the Archdiocese of Bordeaux until 1940. He was vicar general of Bordeaux from 1937 to 1940 as well.
Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of S. Teresa al Corso d'Italia in the consistory of 22 February 1965. Cardinal Martin believed that the reaction of conservative Catholics to the introduction of the vernacular to the Mass could possibly result in a schism.[1] He resigned as Archbishop on 29 May 1968, after nineteen years, and lost the right to participate in a papal conclave upon reaching the age of eighty on 9 August 1971.
Joseph-Marie Cardinal Martin died in Rouen, aged 84, and was interred in the metropolitan cathedral of Rouen. He had earlier survived several days buried in snow in the Pyrenees.
