Mariano Crociata is the current Secretary-General of the Italian Episcopal Conference. Before this position he served as Bishop of Noto. The CEI secretary general is the first ever to have come from a southern diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

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Early life and ordination

Born in Castelvetrano

Castelvetrano

Castelvetrano is a town and comune in the province of Trapani, Sicily, Italy. The archeological site of Selinunte is located within the territory of the comune. It was the birthplace of Giovanni Gentile, the key philosopher of the Fascist movement in Italy.The town is predominantly a farming town,...

, Province of Trapani

Province of Trapani

Trapani is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Trapani.It has an area of 2,460 km², and a total population of 425,121...

, Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

, Crociata was ordained as a priest in 1979. A graduate of 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...

 of Rome, where he was awarded a doctorate

Doctorate

A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...

 in theology

Theology

Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...

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Church scholar and pastor

Crociata ran the theology of religions department at Palermo

Palermo

Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...

's prestigious Theological School and has organised a number of conferences including many on Islam

Islam

Islam . The most common are and .   : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...

. From 2003 he was vicar general

Vicar general

A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...

 of the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo

Roman Catholic Diocese of Mazara del Vallo

The Italian Catholic diocese of Mazara del Vallo is in Sicily. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Palermo.-History:In the struggle of the Saracens against the Normans for the possession of Sicily, Mazara was hotly contested, especially in 1075 when Roger I of Sicily emerged victorious...

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Bishop

On 16 July 2007 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...

 appointed him as the Bishop of Noto.http://212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/20599.php?index=20599&lang=it#RINUNCIA%20DEL%20VESCOVO%20DI%20NOTO%20(ITALIA)%20E%20NOMINA%20DEL%20SUCCESSORE He was ordained on 6 October 2007. Crociata was on 26 September 2008 appointed by Pope Benedict to fill the post left vacant when Giuseppe Betori

Giuseppe Betori

Giuseppe Betori is an Italian cleric of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current archbishop of Florence and the former Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference.-Early life:Ordained priest in 1970...

 was appointed to be the new archbishop of Florence.

Crociata was reportedly nominated on the recommendation of archbishop of Genoa

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Genoa

The Archdiocese of Genoa is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Italy.Erected in the third century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133...

 and CEI president Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco

Angelo Bagnasco

Angelo Bagnasco is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Archbishop of Genoa and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference , and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007....

, who took over the CEI helm in 2007. In October 2010 Bishop Crociata welcomed civil suites against priests for alleged sexual abuse. He said that "There will be no obstacles to civil proceedings. On the contrary, they would be viewed favourably,' he told reporters Friday following a meeting of the Episcopal Conference. The Italian church acts rigorously and with the necessary attention for the victims," he added. Italian bishops say about 100 cases of sex abuse of minors has been investigated by the church over the last decade. Critics says the number is far higher.

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