Fr. Martelli, a native of Florence, Italy, got his Doctorate in Philosophy and Classics from the Pontifical Urbanian University in Rome. He was selected to work within the Aula of the Second Vatican Council. As result of such a deep experince of Church Fr. Jose' asked to do Missionary work and was sent to Chile to study Theology at the Catholic University in Santiago and was ordained to the priesthood in 1973. Eventually, after several years of pastoral work in the slums of Santiago, Father Martelli came to the United States and worked in Parishes in the South Bend area. He was sent to study Sacred Liturgy at the Pontifical Liturgycal Institue of Saint Anselmo in Rome. At the same time, Fr. Martelli served as Rector of the Notre Dame Program of Arquitecture in the Eternal City. After spending several years on the Staff of Holy Cross Novitiate, he was appointed Pastor at Notre Dame.