Bonaventura Cerretti
Encyclopedia
Bonaventura Cerretti was an Italian
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
from 1931 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1925.
and educated at the Seminary of Spoleto
and, later, at the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
as well as the Royal University
, Rome.
From 1895, year of his ordainment, until 1899 he did pastoral work in the diocese of Orvieto. He was then invited to become a staff member in the Vatican Secretariat of State where he worked from 1899 until 1904. He was created Privy chamberlain of His Holiness
on 13 January 1904. He then served as secretary to apostolic delegate in Mexico
from 1904-1906 then as Auditor in the apostolic delegation to the United States of America
from 1906 to 1914.
He was appointed as titular archbishop of Philippopolis in Thracia on 15 April 1914 by Pope Pius X
. He was transferred to the titular see
of Corinth
on 10 May 1914. He was consecrated on 19 July 1914 by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, Cardinal Secretary of State
. He was appointed as the first Apostolic delegate in Australia
and New Zealand
in 1914. He represented the Holy See
and thus tried to get the Great Powers to accept the Peace Note of Pope Benedict XV
at the Paris Peace Conference
in Paris
from May to June, 1919. He was appointed to serve as Nuncio
in France
in 1921.
In 1925 He was created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia
by Pope Pius XI
in the consistory of 14 December 1925. He was appointed as Archpriest
of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
on 16 July 1930. Pope Pius appointed him as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
on 12 October 1931. He opted for the order of cardinal bishops, taking the suburbicarian see of Velletri
in 1933. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, 1933; he died shortly after.
In the summer of 1930 in Rome he was painted by his friend the Swiss-born American artist Adolfo Müller-Ury
(1862-1947). The picture is believed to hang in the Palazzo Municipale di Orvieto.
Cerretti died in Rome and was buried in basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere
. The chapel at St Patrick's Seminary, Manly
in Sydney Australia is named after him.
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 of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Apostolic Signatura
The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...
from 1931 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 1925.
Biography
Bonaventura Cerretti was born in OrvietoOrvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
and educated at the Seminary of Spoleto
Spoleto
Spoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
and, later, at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
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...
as well as the Royal University
Royal University
Royal University may mean:* Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas* Royal University of Bhutan* Royal University of Ireland...
, Rome.
From 1895, year of his ordainment, until 1899 he did pastoral work in the diocese of Orvieto. He was then invited to become a staff member in the Vatican Secretariat of State where he worked from 1899 until 1904. He was created Privy chamberlain of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
on 13 January 1904. He then served as secretary to apostolic delegate in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
from 1904-1906 then as Auditor in the apostolic delegation to the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1906 to 1914.
He was appointed as titular archbishop of Philippopolis in Thracia on 15 April 1914 by Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
. He was transferred to the titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
on 10 May 1914. He was consecrated on 19 July 1914 by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
. He was appointed as the first Apostolic delegate in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1914. He represented the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and thus tried to get the Great Powers to accept the Peace Note of Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
at the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from May to June, 1919. He was appointed to serve as Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1921.
In 1925 He was created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cecilia
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th century church in Rome, Italy, devoted to Saint Cecilia, in the Trastevere rione.-History:The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pope Urban I; it was devoted to the Roman martyr Cecilia, martyred it is said under Marcus...
by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
in the consistory of 14 December 1925. He was appointed as Archpriest
Archpriest
An archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major , known also by other names, is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome, Italy.There are other churches in Rome dedicated to Mary, such as Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, but the greater size of the...
on 16 July 1930. Pope Pius appointed him as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
Apostolic Signatura
The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...
on 12 October 1931. He opted for the order of cardinal bishops, taking the suburbicarian see of Velletri
Velletri
Velletri is an Italian town of 53,298 inhabitants. It is a comune in the province of Rome, on the Alban Hills, in Lazio - Italy. It is bounded by other communes of Rocca di Papa, Lariano, Cisterna di Latina, Artena, Aprilia, Nemi, Genzano di Roma, Lanuvio...
in 1933. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, 1933; he died shortly after.
In the summer of 1930 in Rome he was painted by his friend the Swiss-born American artist Adolfo Müller-Ury
Adolfo Müller-Ury
Adolfo Muller-Ury was a Swiss-born American portrait painter and impressionistic painter of roses and still life.-Heritage and early life in Switzerland:...
(1862-1947). The picture is believed to hang in the Palazzo Municipale di Orvieto.
Cerretti died in Rome and was buried in basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere
Santa Maria in Trastevere
The Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere is a titular minor basilica, one of the oldest churches in Rome, and perhaps the first in which mass was openly celebrated...
. The chapel at St Patrick's Seminary, Manly
St Patrick's Seminary, Manly
St Patrick's Seminary, Manly was the leading seminary of the Australian Catholic Church from its foundation in 1889 to its closure in 1995.Conceived by Archbishop Vaughan, it was built from 1885 in Perpendicular Gothic style by Sheerin and Hennessy on a spectacular site overlooking the Pacific...
in Sydney Australia is named after him.