Alberto Bovone

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Styles of Alberto Cardinal Bovone


Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	none

Alberto Cardinal Bovone (June 11, 1922—April 17, 1998) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 1995 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1998.

[edit] Biography

Alberto Bovone was born in Frugarolo, and attended the seminary in Alessandria. Ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1945, he then did pastoral work for a year before continuing his studies from 1946 until 1951 at the University of Turin and the Angelicum in Rome (from where he obtained his doctorate in canon law). Bovone entered the Roman Curia as an official of the Congregation for the Council in October 1951, and was later made Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on May 21, 1973.

Pope John Paul II named him Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Numidia on April 5, 1984, and Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on three days later, on April 8. Bovone received his episcopal consecration on the following May 12 from Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, with Bishop Ferdinando Maggioni and Archbishop Luigi Dadaglio serving as co-consecrators. As Secretary of the Doctrine of the Faith, he was the second-highest official of that dicastery, under Cardinal Ratzinger.

Bovone was later appointed to head the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints on June 13, 1995. As he had yet to be raised to the College of Cardinals, he only held the title of Pro-Prefect of the congregation. John Paul II created him Cardinal Deacon of Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova in the consistory of February 21, 1998. Accordingly, Bovone was became full Prefect of the Causes of the Saints two days later, on February 23.

The Cardinal died in Rome two months later, at the age of 75. He is buried in his family's plot in Frugarolo.

Preceded by Jean Hamer	Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1984–1995	Succeeded by Tarcisio Bertone
Preceded by Angelo Felici	Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints 1995–1998	Succeeded by José Saraiva Martins