Giovanni Bonzano Explained

Type:Cardinal
Honorific Prefix:His Eminence
Giovanni Bonzano
Honorific Suffix:P.I.M.E.
Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna
Church:Roman Catholic Church
Appointed:18 December 1924
Term End:26 November 1927
Predecessor:Giorgio Gusmini
Successor:Alexis-Henri-Marie Lépicier
Ordination:21 May 1890
Ordained By:Lucido Maria Parocchi
Consecration:3 March 1912
Consecrated By:Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta
Cardinal:11 December 1922
Created Cardinal By:Pope Pius XI
Rank:Cardinal-Priest
Birth Name:Giovanni Vincenzo Bonzano
Birth Date:27 September 1867
Birth Place:Castelleto Scazzoso, Alessandria, Kingdom of Sardinia
Death Place:Clinica Quisisana, Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Parents:Giuseppe Bonzano
Agostina Vescovo
Cardinal Name:Giovanni Bonzano
Dipstyle:His Eminence
Offstyle:Your Eminence
See:none

Giovanni Vincenzo Cardinal Bonzano PIME (27 September 1867 – 26 November 1927) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Apostolic Delegate to United States from 1912 to 1922, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1922.[1]

Biography

Giovanni Bonzano was born in Castelletto Monferrato to farm labourers Giuseppe and Agostina (née Vescovo) Bonzano. He was one of six children and the only one to go into the church. He attended the seminary in Vigevano before going to Rome to study at the Mastai College for Chinese Missions and Pontifical Urbanian Athenaeum De Propaganda Fide. He was ordained a priest of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions by Cardinal Lucido Parocchi on 21 May 1890, and then did missionary work in China until 1897. Upon returning to Italy, Bonzano was made vicar general (26 August 1899) and chancellor (10 February 1900) of Vigevano. He then taught at the Pontifical Urbanian Athenaeum De Propaganda Fide from 1901 to 1904, becoming its rector on 16 May.

On 2 February 1912, Bonzano was appointed Apostolic Delegate to United States[2] and Titular Archbishop of Melitene by Pope Pius X. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 3 March from Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, with Bishops Pietro Barruti and Thomas Kennedy serving as co-consecrators, in Rome. Bonzano, in addition to his duties in Washington, D.C., was temporarily placed in charge of the Apostolic Delegation to Mexico on 22 June 1915.

During his time as Apostolic Delegate to United States, Archbishop Bonzano sent $210,400.09 to the Holy See to ensure the 1922 papal conclave could occur.[3]

Pope Pius XI created him Cardinal-Priest of San Pancrazio in the consistory of 11 December 1922, whereupon he ceased to serve as Apostolic Delegate. Cardinal Bonzano opted to assume the titular church of Santa Susanna on 18 December 1924, and later presided over the initial renovation of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi on 19 April 1925. He also served as papal legate to the 28th International Eucharistic Congress in Chicago on 20–24 June 1926.[4] He arrived at the Congress aboard the "Cardinal's Train", a special New York Central/Pullman train painted cardinal red and gold to carry Bonzano and several other cardinals from the port in New York to Chicago.

Cardinal Bonzano died in Rome, at age 60; he is buried in the church of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Grottaferrata.

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1922.htm Florida International University website, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Biographical Dictionary, Pope Pius XI (1922-1939)
  2. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014702485/ Library of Congress website, Photo 2014702485
  3. https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2024/02/the-keeper-of-the-vaticans-secrets-is-retiring-heres-what-he-wants-you-to-know The keeper of the Vatican’s secrets is retiring. Here’s what he wants you to know
  4. https://ascension-research.org/Cardinal_Bonzano.html Ascension Research website, Cardinal Bonzano