Angelo Bagnasco(Italian pronunciation:[ˈandʒelobaɲˈɲasko];born 14 January 1943) is an ItalianCardinal of the Catholic Church.He wasArchbishop of Genoafrom 2006 to 2020. He was President of theItalian Episcopal Conference(CEI) from 2007 to 2017 and was elevated to the rank ofcardinalin 2007. He was President of theCouncil of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe(CCEE) from 2016 to 2021.
Angelo Bagnasco | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Genoa | |
 Bagnasco in 2010 | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Genoa |
| See | Genoa |
| Appointed | 29 August 2006 |
| Installed | 24 September 2006 |
| Term ended | 8 May 2020 |
| Predecessor | Tarcisio Bertone,S.D.B. |
| Successor | Marco Tasca,O.F.M. Conv. |
| Other post(s) | Cardinal-Priest of Gran Madre di Dio(2007-) |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 29 June 1966 byGiuseppe Siri |
| Consecration | 7 February 1998 byDionigi Tettamanzi |
| Created cardinal | 24 November 2007 byPope Benedict XVI |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Angelo Bagnasco 14 January 1943 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Alma mater | University of Genoa |
| Motto | Christus spes mea |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Angelo Bagnasco | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
He is considered to be conservative in his views and atheologicalally of his predecessor in the CEI, CardinalCamillo Ruini.
Biography
editEarly life
editBagnasco was born to Alfredo and Rosa Bagnasco inPontevico(Brescia), where his family was evacuated duringWorld War II.He said in an interview: "I became analtar boyin myparishin thehistoric center of Genoa,in Piazza Sarzano, when I was six years old. My oldparish priestwas Abbot Giovanni Battista Gazzolo, first, and afterwards Monsignor Carlo Viacava while his deputy was a young curate, Don Gianni Zamiti—the latter two are still alive and overjoyed that their little altar boy has become their archbishop—who supervised us on afternoons in the parish club where we went to play. The desire to become a priest was born precisely when I was in elementary school, but I didn’t confide it to anybody. Afterwards I went to a co-ed middle school, always with that desire in my heart ".[1]
Priesthood
editHe attended the liceum of classics at the archdiocesan seminary of Genoa, and wasordainedto the priesthood on 29 June 1966 by CardinalGiuseppe Siri.While a priest inGenoa,he received adegreein philosophy from theUniversity of Genoa,served as professor ofmetaphysicsand contemporaryatheismat the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy, and led the archdiocesanliturgicalandcatechesisoffices. He was once the diocesan representative to the FUCI (the Italian Catholic Federation of University Students) and led efforts for thepastoral careof students in the region.[2]
Early episcopal career
editBagnasco was appointedBishop of Pesaroon 3 January 1998. He received hisepiscopal consecrationon the following 7 February from ArchbishopDionigi Tettamanzi,with Bishops Gaetano Michetti and Giacomo Barabino serving asco-consecrators.Bagnasco becameMetropolitan Archbishopof the sameseeon 11 March 2000.
Since 2001, he has held several posts within theItalian Episcopal Conference(CEI), including president of the administrative board of its newspaperAvvenire,and secretary for schools and universities. On 20 June 2003, he was appointed Archbishop of theMilitary OrdinariateofItaly.He described his appointment as "totally unexpected" and that he accepted it "with surprise and some trepidation. First of all because the military world was totally unknown to me, and then because it was a matter of an extensive diocese, covering the whole country and even beyond, with our soldiers on missions to foreign countries".[1]
Archbishop of Genoa
edit| Styles of Angelo Bagnasco | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Genoa |
Following the resignation ofTarcisio Bertone,Bagnasco was appointedArchbishop of Genoaon 29 August 2006. He was installed on the following 24 September. He defendedPope Benedict XVIin theRegensburg controversy.
On 7 March 2007, Benedict XVI selected Bagnasco to succeedCamillo Ruinias President of the Italian Episcopal Conference for a five-year term. "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."[3]
On 27 June 2007, Archbishop Bagnasco, along with several other prelates, attended a briefing at theApostolic Palaceon Pope Benedict's impendingmotu proprioallowing wider celebration of theTridentine Mass.[4]Two days after this meeting, on 29 June, he and forty-five others were invested with thepallium,awoolenvestmentreserved formetropolitan bishops,by Benedict inSt. Peter's Basilica.
Cardinal and curial assignments
editOn 17 October 2007 Pope Benedict announced that Bagnasco would be created cardinal in a consistory on 24 November. He was createdCardinal-PriestofGran Madre di Dio.On 12 June 2008, Benedict appointed him to theCongregation for the Oriental Churches,theCongregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.[5]
Also in 2008 Bagnasco was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to theCongregation for Bishops,[5]but he was named a member whenPope Francisoverhauled the membership of that Congregation in 2013.[6]
Bagnasco took part in thepapal conclaveof 2013 that elected Pope Francis, and was seen as a possible contender (papabili) for the papacy by some media sources.[7][8]
In February 2018, Pope Francis extended Bagnasco's tenure in Genoa for two years beyond the normal retirement age of 75.[9]On 8 May 2020, Pope Francis accepted Bagnasco's resignation as Archbishop of Genoa and namedMarco TascaOFM Conv to succeed him.[10]
Health
editOn 28 September 2021, shortly after returning from the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted to the infectious disease unit ofGenoa'sGalliera Hospital.He said had been vaccinated and knew he could still be infected. On 30 September the hospital reported that his general condition was good and the outlook positive. Several other cardinals have recovered from the virus.[11]He was discharged from hospital on 8 October.[12]
Views and theological positions
edit
Abortion
editBagnasco has expressed strong opposition to abortion, especially with regards to theRU-486pill, which has abortive effects on theembryo.[13]
Euthanasia
editBagnasco said in remarks to the Italian news agency ANSA in 2016 that "it pains us as Christians but it also pains us as persons" that euthanasia was permitted in Belgium to enable a terminally ill 17 year-old minor to die.[14]
He has in the past said that euthanasia is an action with the absence of love and that it follows a secular criteria rather than a religious one.
Opposition to gay rights
editIn April 2007, following a condemnation ofsame-sex unions—in which he said, "Why say 'no' to forms of legally recognised co-habitation which create alternatives to the family? Why say 'no' to incest? Why say 'no' to thepaedophile partyin Holland? "[15]—Bagnasco allegedly found himself the target of death threats. The Genoa police department, while dismissing any serious cause for concern, assigned an armed officer to guard him.[16]Alfonso Pecoraro Scaniofrom theItalian Green Party,a vocal supporter of gay rights, said Bagnasco had made a "grave, foolish comparison which offends millions of people".[17]
Bagnasco later condemned a ruling made by the Tuscan courts in 2014 which, for the first time in Italy, recognized the marriage of a gay couple who had wed in New York.[18]He has also described gay civil unions and same-sex marriages as a “Trojan horse” that fundamentally weaken the institution of the family.[19]
In 2019, Bagnasco cancelled three separate public prayers of reparation for a gay pride parade that was set to be held in the archdiocese but offered no explanation for his decision. His decision was, however, met with some criticism as was the lack of explanation for his action.[citation needed]
Social teaching
editBagnasco affirmed that each man has the right to be employed. He has also advised that the flexibility of the workforce has to be limited.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ab30 Days."When the Pope Calls, One Answers"Archived19 May 2007 at theWayback MachineFebruary 2007
- ^Biography – Archdiocese of GenoaArchived1 August 2009 at theWayback Machine,diocesi.genova.it.Retrieved 24 August 2010.
- ^Whispers in the Loggia.[1]7 March 2007
- ^Catholic World News.Vatican confirms briefing on motu proprio; publication near28 June 2007
- ^ab"Article".[dead link]
- ^Cindy Wooden (16 December 2013)."Pope reconfirms Cardinal Ouellet to lead bishops' congregation".Catholic News Service. Archived fromthe originalon 2 January 2014.
- ^"Pope Election – Papal Conclave 2013".4 March 2013.
- ^"Papabile of the Day: The Men Who Could Be Pope".National Catholic Reporter. 27 February 2013.
- ^"Il Papa proroga di due anni il cardinale Bagnasco".La Repubblica(in Italian). 15 February 2018.Retrieved17 February2018.
- ^"Rinunce e nomine, 08.05.2020"(Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 8 May 2020.Retrieved8 May2020.
- ^Mares, Courtney (2 October 2021)."Cardinal Bagnasco hospitalized with COVID-19 after International Eucharistic Congress".Catholic News Agency.Retrieved16 December2021.
- ^"Ospedali Galliera, è stato dimesso il Cardinale Angelo Bagnasco"(in Italian). Redazione News. 8 October 2021.Retrieved16 December2021.
- ^Pillola Ru486, Cardinale Bagnasco: Chi la usa diventa criminaleArchived1 November 2013 at theWayback Machine,L'Unione Sarda
- ^"Italian Bishops: Euthanasia of child in Belgium 'pains us'".CathNews. 19 September 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2016.Retrieved3 August2020.
- ^Pink NewsBishop Compares Gay Rights to Incest2 April 2007
- ^Catholic World News.New Threats Against Italian ArchbishopArchived30 September 2007 at theWayback Machine9 April 2007
- ^News 24.Storm Over Bishop's Gay RemarksArchived2 December 2008 at theWayback Machine2 April 2007
- ^"Italian bishop lambasts gay marriage ruling".10 April 2014.
- ^"Gay marriage a 'Trojan horse', says Catholic cardinal".11 November 2014.
External links
edit- "Bagnasco Card. Angelo".Holy See Press Office.Archivedfrom the original on 4 September 2017.Retrieved3 December2017.
- Angelo Bagnascoat Catholic-pages