Alberto Bovone
Encyclopedia
Alberto Bovone was an Italian
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Prefect
of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
from 1995 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1998.
Alberto Bovone was born in Frugarolo
, and attended the seminary
in Alessandria
. Ordained
to the priesthood
on May 26, 1945, he then did pastoral
work for a year before continuing his studies from 1946 until 1951 at the University of Turin
and the Angelicum in Rome
(where he obtained his doctorate in canon law
). Bovone entered the Roman Curia
as an official of the Congregation for the Council
in October 1951, and was later made Undersecretary
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
on May 21, 1973.
Pope John Paul II
named him Titular Archbishop
of Caesarea in Numidia
on April 5, 1984, and Secretary
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith three days later, on April 8. Bovone received his episcopal consecration
on the following May 12 from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
, with Bishop Ferdinando Maggioni and Archbishop Luigi Dadaglio
serving as co-consecrators
. Bovone was the first person ordained as a Bishop by Ratzinger, who would become Pope Benedict XVI
.
As Secretary of the Doctrine of the Faith, he was the second-highest official of that dicastery
, under Cardinal Ratzinger. In 1987, he helped write the instruction Donum Vitae
on the respect for human life.
Bovone was later appointed to head the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints on June 13, 1995. As he had yet to be raised to the College of Cardinals
, he only held the title of Pro-Prefect of the congregation, until John Paul II created him Cardinal- Deacon
of Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova in the consistory
of February 21, 1998, and Bovone became full Prefect of the Causes of the Saints two days later, on February 23.
The Cardinal died in Rome two months later, at the age of 75. He is buried in his family's plot in Frugarolo
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
from 1995 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1998.
Alberto Bovone was born in Frugarolo
Frugarolo
Frugarolo is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km southeast of Turin and about 11 km southeast of Alessandria....
, and attended the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
. Ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on May 26, 1945, he then did pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work for a year before continuing his studies from 1946 until 1951 at the University of Turin
University of Turin
The University of Turin is a university in the city of Turin in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy...
and the Angelicum in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(where he obtained his doctorate in canon law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
). Bovone entered the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
as an official of the Congregation for the Council
Congregation for the Clergy
The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...
in October 1951, and was later made Undersecretary
Undersecretary
An under secretary is an executive government official in many countries, frequently a career public servant, who typically acts as a senior administrator or second-in-command to a politically-appointed Cabinet Minister or other government official...
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
on May 21, 1973.
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
named him Titular Archbishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Caesarea in Numidia
Cherchell
Cherchell is a seaport town in the Province of Tipaza, Algeria, 55 miles west of Algiers. It is the district seat of Cherchell District. As of 1998, it had a population of 24,400.-Ancient history:...
on April 5, 1984, and Secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith three days later, on April 8. Bovone received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following May 12 from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, with Bishop Ferdinando Maggioni and Archbishop Luigi Dadaglio
Luigi Dadaglio
Luigi Dadaglio was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary.He was born in Sezzadio, Italy. He was educated at the Seminary of Acqui. He was ordained on 22 May 1937...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. Bovone was the first person ordained as a Bishop by Ratzinger, who would become Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
.
As Secretary of the Doctrine of the Faith, he was the second-highest official of that dicastery
Dicastery
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia....
, under Cardinal Ratzinger. In 1987, he helped write the instruction Donum Vitae
Donum Vitae
Donum Vitae is the instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation which was issued on February 22, 1987 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith...
on the respect for human life.
Bovone was later appointed to head the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints on June 13, 1995. As he had yet to be raised to the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
, he only held the title of Pro-Prefect of the congregation, until John Paul II created him Cardinal- Deacon
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of February 21, 1998, and Bovone became full Prefect of the Causes of the Saints two days later, on February 23.
The Cardinal died in Rome two months later, at the age of 75. He is buried in his family's plot in Frugarolo
Frugarolo
Frugarolo is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km southeast of Turin and about 11 km southeast of Alessandria....
.