Fernando Filoni
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His Eminence Fernando Filoni | |
|---|---|
| Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples | |
 Delivery of the honorary citizenship of the town of Galatone to Archbishop Fernando Filoni (2007) | |
| See | Volturnum (titular see) |
| Appointed | 10 May 2011 |
| Predecessor | Ivan Dias |
| Other post(s) |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 3 July 1979 by Antonio Rosario Mennonna |
| Consecration | 19 March 2001 by John Paul II assisted by Angelo Sodano and Giovanni Battista Re |
| Created cardinal | 18 February 2012 by Benedict XVI |
| Rank | Cardinal-Deacon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Fernando Filoni 15 April 1946 Manduria, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Alma mater | Pontifical Lateran University |
| Motto |
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| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Fernando Filoni | |
|---|---|
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Fernando Filoni (born 15 April 1946) is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church and Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in the Roman Curia since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 10 May 2011. Cardinal Filoni is an expert in Chinese affairs and on the Middle East.[1]
Education and early diplomatic work
Filoni was born near Taranto, Italy. He entered the seminary and earned doctorates in Philosophy and in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University. He was ordained a priest on 3 July 1970. He served in the Nunciatures of Sri Lanka from 1982 until 1983, Iran from 1983–1985, Brazil from 1989–1992 and the Philippines from 1992 until 2001. Although formally assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines, he was based in Hong Kong. During this time Archbishop Filoni was Pope John Paul II’s bridge to China's bishops, official and non-official Churches and bishops, in the hope of reconciling them to the Holy See.
Apostolic Nuncio
Pope John Paul II appointed Father Filoni apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan on 17 January 2001, naming him titular Archbishop of Volturnum. He received episcopal consecration from Pope John Paul II on 19 March 2001.
Archbishop Filoni defended the freedom of the Catholic Church in Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein and – in line with the Pope's position – opposed the US invasion of the country.[citation needed] He remained in Baghdad as American bombs fell, refusing to leave the capital, to which he says that "It was nothing exceptional".[citation needed] After the fall of Saddam he did not fail to notice some new aspects of peoples new found freedom. Yet he also warned against the lack of security and the slow development of the economy, while supporting the new constitution[citation needed] and supporting the peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
He came close to being killed in Baghdad on 1 February 2006, when a car bomb exploded next to the nunciature.[citation needed] He served in Iraq and Jordan until 25 February 2006 when he returned to the Philippines as the Nuncio.
Roman Curia
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Filoni Substitute for General Affairs on 9 June 2007, formally taking office on 1 July that same year.
It was Filoni's job to organise the activities of the Curia and the care of official translations of papal documents and correspondence; encryption dispatches messengers to be sent to the Registry of the papal letters, the resolution of legal issues, personnel management in the Curia and nunciatures (promotions and advances), the protocol and etiquette for visiting heads of state, information and media management Vatican archive management to shipping the blessings of the Pope. He is also responsible for organizing the activities of nuncios around the world in their activities concerning the local churches. As well as speaking his native Italian, he also speaks English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
Commenting on his appointment he said: "It is an act of paternal benevolence on the part of the Pontiff, to which I respond without the slightest trepidation, but with the same willingness and profound gratitude I have had in the past. The wonderful words of Our Lord aid me at this time, those found in Luke (17, 10), on the attitude of those called into the Christ's service: ‘When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do'."[citation needed]
In 2008 Archbishop Filoni was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.[2]
On 10 May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Filoni Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in succession to Ivan Cardinal Dias, who had reached retirement age and had health problems.[3]
The Holy See announced on 6 January that he would be created a cardinal on 18 February. He was created Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora di Coromoto in San Giovanni di Dio. On 24 April 2012 Filoni was made a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and the Congregation for Catholic Education.[4] On 24 November 2012 he was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.[5] Cardinal Filoni took part in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, and was considered to be a papabile, or possible candidate to be elected pope.[6]
On 8 August 2014, in light of the worsening situation for the Christian minority in Iraq, caused by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) actions, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Filoni his Personal Envoy to the Iraqi people. [7][8] Based on his work with the peoples of that region, Filoni wrote The Church in Iraq. [9]
References
- ^ RINUNCE E NOMINE 09.06.2007[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Presidenza della Repubblica". Quirinale.it. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Pentin, Edward (10 May 2011). "Benedict XVI Makes Two Key Vatican Appointments". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ^ http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/29094.php?index=29094&po_date=21.04.2012&lang=en
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Allen Jr., John L. (6 March 2013). "Papabile of the Day: The Men Who Could Be Pope". Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- ^ http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2014/08/08/0560/01235.html
- ^ Pope to send envoy to Christians forced from their homes in Iraq
- ^ Filoni, Fernando The Church in Iraq (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press), 2017 ; a translation of La Chiesa in Iraq (Vatican City State: Libreria Editrice Vaticana), 2015.
External links
- "Filoni Card. Fernando". Holy See Press Office. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - 30 Days interview
- Asia News reporting his appointment
- 2012 30 Days interview
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- Use dmy dates from March 2013
- 1946 births
- Living people
- Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI
- Italian titular archbishops
- Italian cardinals
- Diplomats of the Holy See
- Italian expatriates in the Philippines
- Italian expatriates in Iraq
- Apostolic Nuncios to Iraq
- Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni
- Pontifical Lateran University alumni
- Members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
- Members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
- Members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
- Members of the Congregation for Catholic Education
- Apostolic Nuncios to the Philippines
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic