Joseph Matthew Breitenbeck (August 3, 1914 – March 12, 2005) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.

[3] In 1947, he returned to Rome to pursue his graduate studies,[1] and earned a Licentiate of Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University in 1949.

[4] He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 20 from Archbishop Dearden, with Bishops John Anthony Donovan and Gerald Vincent McDevitt serving as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

[4] During his tenure in Grand Rapids, he distinguished himself as an advocate of progressive values, who vigorously implemented the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

[2][6] In 1971 he expressed his support for the ordination of women and for ending clerical celibacy in order to address the priest shortage.

[2] Some parishes strongly resisted changing the language of the Mass from Latin to English; St. Isidore's Church even took Breitenbeck and the diocese to court over the issue.

In the 1980s, he created policies and procedures for handling allegations of clerical sexual abuse; these rules remained in force until major revisions in the early 21st century.

[2] He also helped establish the Deposit & Loan Cooperative Investment Program, which allowed parishes to borrow money from diocesan funds at a lower interest rate, and supported the Michigan Catholic Conference's efforts to provide retirement benefits for priests and laity.

Shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75, Breitenbeck resigned as Bishop of Grand Rapids on June 24, 1989.