Angelo Bagnasco
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Angelo Bagnasco |
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The Most Reverend Angelo Bagnasco (born January 14, 1943) is an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Archbishop of Genoa and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).
He is considered to be a conservative, and theological ally of his predecessor in the CEI, Camillo Cardinal Ruini.
[edit] Biography
Bagnasco was born in Pontevico, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1966 by Giuseppe Cardinal Siri. While he was a priest in Genoa, he received a degree in philosophy from the University of Genoa, served as professor of metaphysics and atheism at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy, and led the archdiocesan liturgical and catechesis offices. He is well-known to have a strong connection to youth, as he was once the diocesan representative to the FUCI (the Italian Catholic Federation of University Students) and led efforts for the pastoral care of students in the region.
Bagnasco was appointed Bishop of Pesaro on January 3, 1998. He received his episcopal consecration on the following February 7 from Archbishop Dionigi Tettamanzi, with Bishops Gaetano Michetti and Giacomo Barabino serving as co-consecrators. Bagnasco became Metropolitan Archbishop of the same see on March 11, 2000. Since 2001, he has held several posts within the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), including president of the administrative board of its newspaper Avvenire, and secretary for schools and universities. On the June 20, 2003, he was appointed Archbishop of the Military Ordinariate of Italy.
Following the resignation of Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, Bagnasco was appointed Archbishop of Genoa on August 29, 2006. He was installed on the following September 24. He defended Pope Benedict XVI in the Regensburg controversy.
On March 7, 2007, Benedict XVI selected Bagnasco to succeed Camillo Cardinal Ruini as President of the Italian Episcopal Conference. "The choice is a compromise between two of Benedict's two most influential policy-movers—Bagnasco is a confirmed Ruini-ite, 'but Bertone likes him,' as one op put it."[1] Given his positions as Archbishop of Genoa and President of the CEI, he will most likely be elevated to the College of Cardinals in the next consistory.
[edit] Trivia
- Bagnasco's father worked in a candy factory.
| Preceded by Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone |
Archbishop of Genoa 29 August 2006 |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Cardinal Ruini |
President of the Italian Episcopal Conference 7 March 2007 – present |
Incumbent |
