Benedict XVI picks an Italian
to head the Congregation for the Clergy
by Andrea Tornielli
Translated from
Oct. 8, 2010
Benedict XVI has named a bishop from Genoa as his new minister for all the priests of the world: Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, who was until yesterday secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy of which he is now Prefect, succeeding Cardinal Claudio Hummes of Brazil, who has retired one year after reaching age 75.
Piacenza's nomination is crucial for the Pontificate of Benedict XVI who has rewarded one of his most faithful collaborators, the 'spark plug' of the recent Year for Priests which concluded last June.
In recent months, because of all the media scandal over sex abuses against minors, Catholic priests have been in the eye of a cyclone, and the new Prefect will be fully immersed in a reform of the clergy strongly desired by the Pope.
Born in Genoa on Sept. 15, 1944, and ordained in December 1969, Piacenza was a parish vicar and then confessor of the major seminary and chaplain of the University in Genoa. He then became the archbishop's delegate to the university, professor of canon llaw at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy, a judge of the diocesan and regional ecclesiastic tribunal of Liguria, professor of contemporary culture and the history of atheism at the Ligurian Superior Instutte of Religious Sciences.
He first began working at the Congregation for the Clergy in 1990, where he became a department head in 1997 then under-secretary in 2000.
In Nov. 2003, John Paul II named him bishop in appointg him to head the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church. Piacenza was ordained a bishop by the then Archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
In 2007, Benedict XVI asked him to return to the Congregation for the Clergy as the number-2 man to the new Prefect at the time, Cardinal Claudio Hummes.
The Pope's new 'minister for the clergy' is an affable and frank man, a tireless worker (in the past few years, waiting time for responses from the dicastery has been drastically reduced). one who does not frequent social salons, rarely gives interviews, and never misses joining a daily rosary meeting.
In the past few years, he has increasingly become valuable for his superiors. Papa Ratzinger, who has known him for some time and has great esteem for him, has therefore named him Prefect - it is rare that s dicastery secretary then goes on to become its head.
After yesterday's announcement, Mons. Piacenza automatically becomes in line for a cardinal's hat, because he heads a very important dicastery that has always been led by a cardinal.
Before the end of October, Benedict XVI is expected to announce a consistory to name new cardinals on the Feast of Christ the King in November. Thus, Genoa, which alrady has a cardinal arhbishop, will be getting a second cardinal.
Pope names African archbishop
the new head of Cor Unum
Mons. Sarah with the Pope at a Missionary Children's event last year, when it was speculated that he would be named President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. But the African who was named to that post was Cardinal Turkson of Ghana.
Vatican City, Oct 7, 2010 (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI has appointed 65-year-old Archbishop Robert Sarah as the new president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum." He steps into the shoes of the now retired Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes in leading the Holy See's department for charity and relief.
Promoted from being secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Archbishop Sarah will bring nearly a decade of experience in the Vatican to the mission of "Cor Unum"
The objectives of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" are to provide assistance in the Pope's name for humanitarian relief or to promote projects and initiatives for integral human development. The council also encourages and coordinates the initiatives of Catholic organizations worldwide.
Archbishop Sarah was ordained in 1969 in Conakry, Guinea. After his ordination, he worked as the rector of a minor seminary and as a parish priest before his election to the archbishopric of Conakry at just 34 years old. At the time he was the youngest bishop in the world.
Almost exactly nine years ago, he was appointed secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, where he worked under Cardinal Cresencio Sepe until 2005, then under the present Prefect, Cardinal Ivan Dias.
Sarah's nomination came as Pope Benedict accepted the resignation of now emeritus President, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes of Germany, who reached the Curial retirement age of 75 last year and had served as Cor Unum head for the last 15 years.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/10/2010 12:59]