Francesco Marco Nicola Monterisi (born 28 May 1934) is an Italian cardinal of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1964 to 1998 and then held senior positions in the Roman Curia until he retired in 2014.

Early life and ordination

After his elementary and secondary studies in

Barletta Barletta () is a city, '' comune'' of Apulia, in south eastern Italy. Barletta is the capoluogo, together with Andria and Trani, of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. It has a population of around 94,700 citizens. The city's territory be ...

, he entered the Pontifical Minor Seminary and then the Pontifical Major Seminary. From 1951 to 1958, he studied at the

Pontifical Lateran University The Pontifical Lateran University ( it, Pontificia Università Lateranense; la, Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Pont ...

, where he obtained a doctorate in

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

. Monterisi was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...

to the priesthood on 16 March 1957 and returned to Apulia for several years. Beginning in 1961 he prepared for a diplomat's career at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy while also earning a doctorate in

canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

at the Pontifical Lateran University in 1964, the year he joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See.

Nuncio

On 24 December 1982, he was appointed Pro-Nuncio to

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

and Titular Archbishop of Alba Maritima. Monterisi received his

episcopal consecration A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

on 6 January 1983 from

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

, with Archbishops

Eduardo Martínez Somalo Eduardo Martínez Somalo (; 31 March 1927 – 10 August 2021) was a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who spent most of his career in the Roman Curia, first in the Secretariat of State from 1956 to 1975 and from 1979 to 1988, and then l ...

and Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy serving as co-consecrators. In 1990 Monterisi was appointed delegate for Pontifical Representations, the personnel chief not only for Vatican diplomats but for the whole Roman curia. Pope John Paul named him the first

Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina The Apostolic Nunciature to Bosnia and Herzegovina the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in Sarajevo since 1993. The current Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina is Francis Assisi Chullikatt, who w ...

on 11 June 1993.

Roman Curia

Pope John Paul named him Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops on 7 March 1998. While serving at the Congregation for Bishops he was also secretary of the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals, or more formally the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. its current membership is , of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals are app ...

. He was secretary of the 2005 papal conclave, which elected

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...

. On 21 December 2002, he was made a member of the

Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People ( la, Pontificium Consilium de Spirituali Migrantium atque Itinerantium Cura) was a pontifical council of the Roman Curia. The council, established by Pope John Paul I ...

. On 3 July 2009, Pope Benedict appointed Archbishop Monterisi to the post of Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls. On 20 November 2010, he was created

Cardinal-Deacon A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

of San Paolo alla Regola. On 29 December 2010, he was appointed a member of the

Congregation for the Oriental Churches The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches ( la, Congregatio pro Ecclesiis Orientalibus), is a dicaste ...

and the

Congregation for the Causes of Saints In the Catholic Church, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, previously named the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (), is the dicastery of the Roman Curia that oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, pass ...

. On 24 October 2012, Monterisi was appointed a member of the Congregation for Bishops. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the

2013 papal conclave The 2013 papal conclave was convened to elect a pope to succeed Pope Benedict XVI following his resignation on 28 February 2013. After the 115 participating cardinal-electors gathered, they set 12 March 2013 as the beginning of the conclave. ...

that elected

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

. After ten years at the rank of cardinal deacon, he exercised his option to assume the rank of cardinal priest, which Pope Francis confirmed on 3 May 2021.

Notes

References

External links

*
Catholic-Hierarchy

Interview on Opus Dei
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monterisi, Francesco 1934 births Living people People from the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani 20th-century Italian Roman Catholic titular archbishops Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni Pontifical Lateran University alumni Pontifical Roman Seminary alumni Members of the Congregation for Bishops Members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches Members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints 21st-century Italian cardinals Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI Apostolic Nuncios to Bosnia and Herzegovina Apostolic Nuncios to South Korea