Who Will Be the Next Pope?
Apr 13, 2005
The Italian Cardinal Tettamanzi is a moderate with natural pastoral abilities and an easy style that appeals to the young. The cardinal became the leading Italian candidate for the papacy with his July 2002 nomination to become the cardinal of Milan, Italy’s richest, most powerful archdiocese. Tettamanzi’s promotion from his post as the cardinal of Genoa marks the first time in recent history the pope has moved a cardinal from one Italian diocese to another.
(The Manila Times, April 11, 2005) Tettamanzi, now the Archbishop of Milan, was born on March 14, 1934, in Renate, Italy. At the age of 11 he entered the diocesan seminary of Seveso San Pietro, where he began his studies. He attended the Seminary of Lower Venegono until 1957 when he received a licentiate in theology. On June 28, 1957, he was ordained for the Archdicoese of Milan. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.
For more than 20 years he taught fundamental theology at the major seminary of Lower Venegono and pastoral theology at the Priestly Institute of Mary Immaculate and the Lombard Regional Institute of Pastoral Ministry, Milan. He is also the author of many written works.
He has been very active in the Italian Confederation of Family Counseling Centers of Christian inspiration from 1979 to 1989, in Oari (a pastoral movement for the communion and hope for those who suffer) and in the Association of Italian Catholic Medical Doctors, Milan section for nearly 20 years.
Having been made Prelate of Honor of His Holiness in 1985 he was called to serve as rector of the Pontifical Lombard Seminary on September 11, 1987. During this period he continued to offer his service to the CEI, the Holy See and to diverse theology institutes. On April 28, 1989, the CEI called him to be president of the board of directors of the newspaper Avvenire.
On July 1, 1989, he was elected metropolitan archbishop of Ancona-Osma. He received Episcopal ordination on September 23, 1989. During this period he was president of the Episcopal Conference of the Marche region and in June 1990 he was elected president of the Bishops’ Commission of the CEI for the Family.
On March 14, 1991, he was named secretary-general of the CEI and in April of the same year he resigned from the See of Ancona-Osma. After four years of serving the Italian Church, he was named Metropolitan Archbishop of Genoa on April 20, 1995. He also served as president of the regional Episcopal conference.
From May 1995 to May 2000 he was vice president of the CEI. In January 1998 the Permanent Council of the CEI named him chaplain to the Italian Catholic Medical Doctors Association.
He participated as an expert at the Synod of Bishops on the Family (1980) and on the Laity (1987) and as a synodal father at the two Special Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops for Europe (1991 and 1999) and the Synod on Consecrated Life (1994).
He was named archbishop of Milan on July 11, 2002.
Who Will Be the Next Pope?