Mario Joseph Conti

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Mario Conti" redirects here; for the Brazilian journalist see Mario Sergio Conti.

The Most Reverend Mario Conti is the current Archbishop of Glasgow, in Scotland.

Mario Joseph Conti was born on 20 March 1934, in Elgin, Moray, son of Louis Joseph Conti and Josephine Quintilia Conti (nee Panicali). He studied for the priesthood at The Scots College, Rome and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Aberdeen in the Church of San Marcello al Corso, by Archbishop Luigi Traglia on 26 October 1958.

After a period as Assistant Priest at St Mary's Cathedral in Aberdeen, Fr Conti served as parish priest of the most northerly Roman Catholic parish in the UK mainland, St Joachim's and St Anne's (Wick and Thurso respectively) in Caithness from 1962 to 1977. He was appointed bishop of Aberdeen on the 28 February 1977, succeeding Michael Foylan. He was consecrated to that post by Gordon Joseph, Cardinal Gray on 3 May 1977.

Bishop Conti was elevated to the archdiocese of Glasgow on the 15 January 2002, succeeding the late Thomas Joseph, Cardinal Winning. He took possession of the archdiocese on 22 February 2002. Pope John Paul II bestowed the Pallium on Archbishop Conti on 29 June 2004, the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Archbishop Conti is a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Conti is much loved by some of the Roman Catholic community in the city, who see him as someone to speak out against alleged institutionalised anti-Catholic bigotry^{[citation needed]}. However, he has been condemned for an "anti-democratic and dangerous" approach to criticism and examination of his church^[1]. Many also consider his repeated and outspoken opposition to homosexuality discriminatory, though he claims to take no issue with homosexuals themselves, only with what he asserts are the undermining effects of homosexual relationships on the established societal institutuion of the family.^[2]

[edit] External links

• Biographical link
• Sectarianism 'caused by poverty' says archbishop

[edit] References

1. ^ Church accuses BBC of 'prejudice'. Retrieved on September 3, 2007.
2. ^ Archbishops 'Reject gay rights move'. Retrieved on August 6, 2007.

Preceded by Thomas Cardinal Winning

Archbishop of Glasgow 2002 – present

Incumbent