ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WENY) -- Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark, who served as bishop for the Diocese of Rochester died Sunday. Clark was 85 years old. 

The current bishop for the Rochester Diocese, Salvatore Matano, announced that Clark died in his room at the Sisters of Saint Joseph Motherhouse, after a "period of declining health".

Clark was ordained a priest in 1962. Pope John Paul II selected Clark to the Rochester bishopric in 1979, replacing Bishop Joseph Lloyd Hogan. 

Clark served the Diocese of Rochester for over 33 years, before resigning in 2012. It is customary in the Catholic Church for a bishop to resign when they turn 75. 

Salvatore Matano took over the bishops seat from Clark, where he currently presides from now.

The Diocese of Rochester includes most of the Central New York counties, and stretches to New York's border with Pennsylvania, including Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Tompkins and Tioga Counties.