Italian Bishops

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, one of the most influential figures in modern Italian Catholicism and a close collaborator of Pope John Paul II, has died aged 95. His death comes just days before cardinals gather in Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s extraordinary consistory Cardinal Camillo Ruini, former head of the Italian bishops and one of the most consequential Church leaders of the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, has died aged 95, little more than a week before cardinals from around the world are due to gather in Rome for an extraordinary consistory. The Diocese of Rome announced his death on Tuesday evening. In a statement issued by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the Pope’s Vicar for Rome, and the diocesan episcopal council, the Church in Rome said: “Grateful for his long and fruitful Christian life and for his service to the Church, we entrust Cardinal Camillo Ruini to the mercy of the Lord.” As president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference from 1991 until 2007 and Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome from 1991 until 2008, he exercised a level of influence rarely achieved by a churchman in post-war Italy. Born in Sassuolo, in the province of Modena, on 19 February 1931, Ruini pursued studies in philosophy and theology in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University while residing at the Almo Collegio Capranica. Ordained a priest on 8 December 1954, he returned to his native Emilia-Romagna and spent decades engaged in teaching, formation and pastoral work. He taught philosophy and dogmatic theology in seminaries and theological institutes across the region and became known for his intellectual gifts and organisational abilities. His rise through the Church hierarchy accelerated during the 1980s, particularly after his involvement in preparations for the 1985 National Ecclesial Convention in Loreto, an event that sought to define the Church’s engagement with Italian society after the political and cultural upheavals of the preceding decades. Appointed an auxiliary bishop of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla in 1983, he soon attracted the attention of Rome. In 1986, Pope John Paul II brought him to the capital as secretary-general of the Italian Bishops’ Conference. Five years later, the Polish pontiff elevated him to the College of Cardinals and entrusted him with two of the most important positions in Italian Catholicism. Throughout his leadership, he argued that Catholics should not retreat from public life but should instead engage confidently in the cultural and political debates shaping the nation. His most notable interventions often concerned issues relating to marriage and the family. Cardinal Ruini repeatedly warned against legal measures that he believed would weaken the institution of marriage or undermine the family founded upon it. He emerged as one of the most prominent Catholic opponents of efforts to grant full legal recognition to same-sex relationships, arguing that such measures risked obscuring the unique social role of the family. He also played a decisive role during the 2005 referendum campaign concerning Italy’s laws on artificial insemination and assisted reproduction. Rather than urging Catholics to vote against proposed changes, he encouraged abstention in order to prevent the referendum from reaching the turnout threshold required for validity. The strategy proved successful when participation fell short of the required level, a significant victory for the Church and for Ruini personally. Beyond individual political battles, he frequently reflected on broader cultural trends affecting Europe. He warned against aggressive forms of secularism and argued that Europe risked losing touch with its Christian roots. Tributes poured in from across the political and ecclesiastical spectrum following news of his death. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the current president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, praised his predecessor’s contribution to the Church in Italy. “We gather in prayer and entrust to the mercy of the Father Cardinal Camillo Ruini, whom the Lord has called to Himself. We remember with gratitude his long and fruitful Christian life and his service to the Church,” Cardinal Zuppi said. His Eminence added: “He served the Church with intelligence and pastoral passion. He helped the Church in Italy to think, discern, speak and walk in its own time.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Ruini as “a great man of the Church, of extraordinary intelligence and profound humanity, who defended with vigour the identity, mission and role of Catholics in Italian society”. She said she had been honoured to know him personally and called him “one of the most lucid minds of Italian society”, expressing hope that his “spiritual, cultural and human legacy” would continue to bear fruit. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini wrote that Ruini had been “a point of reference for millions of Italian Catholics” who dedicated his life to “the Church, to dialogue, and to the defence of Western values, always with courage and consistency”. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also paid tribute, describing him as “an authoritative figure of the Church” and “a strenuous defender of traditional values” who remained “a precious interlocutor for politics and institutions”. His death comes at a notable moment in the life of the Church, arriving shortly before cardinals gather in Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s extraordinary consistory, where Cardinal Ruini would have been a valued participant. The meeting, whose programme was recently outlined by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will draw together members of the College of Cardinals for discussion and consultation. In his letter to the cardinals, Cardinal Re explained that the Holy Father wished to draw upon the experience and counsel of the College while fostering a climate of “listening, freedom and parrhesia” among the participants. The gathering will open with a period of prayer and discussion focused on the international situation, with cardinals invited to share the sufferings, tensions and concerns affecting their local Churches, as well as signs of hope and reconciliation emerging amid conflict and uncertainty. Subsequent sessions will centre on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica humanitas , particularly its reflections on war, peace and the moral responsibilities of nations. Discussions are expected to examine the Holy Father’s call for a renewed commitment to peace and his rejection of attempts to justify armed conflict through appeals to the traditional theory of the “just war”. A further session will consider the encyclical’s broader vision of Christian hope and integral human development in a rapidly changing world. The final day of discussions will focus on the implementation of the Synod process and preparations for the Synodal Assemblies of 2027 and 2028, before concluding with an open dialogue between the cardinals and the Pope.

A public dispute between senior Italian bishops has erupted over calls to exclude Israeli novelist Eshkol Nevo from a literary festival in southern Italy, with one archbishop backing a petition against his appearance while others defend dialogue and condemn attempts to silence him A row over the appearance of an Israeli novelist at a literary festival in southern Italy has exposed divisions within the Italian Catholic hierarchy, with senior bishops publicly disagreeing with one another. Archbishop Franco Moscone of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo has been criticised after signing a petition calling on organisers of the Il Libro Possibile festival to reconsider hosting the Israeli writer Eshkol Nevo at an event due to take place in Vieste next month. The petition, addressed to regional authorities and festival organisers, argues that Nevo has not taken a sufficiently clear public stance against the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza. Among its signatories are politicians, activists, academics and clergy, including Archbishop Moscone, whose archdiocese includes one of the festival venues. Speaking to Italian media, the archbishop defended his decision to support the initiative and rejected accusations that it amounted to censorship. “The issue is not that Nevo is Israeli,” His Grace said, arguing instead that intellectuals have a responsibility to speak clearly in the face of injustice. He said the novelist had not shown sufficient “criticism and clarity” regarding the actions of the Israeli government and described the situation in Gaza as a matter that could not be ignored by public figures with influence and visibility. The intervention quickly resulted in backlash from other Church leaders. Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi, Archbishop of Cagliari and Secretary General of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, sought to distance the bishops’ conference from the controversy while defending the principle of open dialogue. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Archbishop Baturi said: “Peace is not built by preventing those who think differently from speaking, but by creating the conditions for them to be heard.” He stressed that the Italian Bishops’ Conference had “not intervened on the merits of the matter” and said Archbishop Moscone’s decision to sign the appeal was “a personal choice and the exercise of freedom of thought and expression”. “In the Church, personal conscience is not erased, but rather placed within a path of communion,” His Grace said. Addressing the conflict in the Holy Land, Archbishop Baturi echoed recent appeals by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, warning against language that strips people of their humanity. “Violence also stems from language that dehumanises others, and the Church must fight it: denounce violence and terrorism, but not fuel words that make others unrecognisable as human beings,” he said. More critical comments came from Archbishop Carmelo Pennisi of Monreale, who told the Italian daily, La Stampa, that the campaign against the writer was “an act of antisemitism”. The comments have brought into the open disagreements among Italian bishops over how Catholics should respond to the conflict in the Holy Land, which has generated strong reactions across Italy since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Festival organisers have refused to alter their programme and confirmed that Nevo will participate as scheduled. Rosella Santoro, the artistic director of Il Libro Possibile, said the festival would continue to provide a platform for a wide range of voices and rejected suggestions that writers should be judged according to the policies of their governments. Organisers noted that Nevo has repeatedly spoken publicly in favour of peace and dialogue and has expressed criticism of elements within Israeli politics. They also pointed out that the festival programme includes Palestinian voices and journalists covering the conflict, alongside Catholic representatives involved in interreligious dialogue and peace initiatives. The petition was promoted by activists and public figures in Puglia, including members of left-wing political movements and campaign groups opposed to the war in Gaza. While supporters argue that public figures should take stronger positions against the conflict, critics have questioned why Nevo was singled out given his record of supporting negotiations and criticising aspects of Israeli government policy. Nevo is one of Israel’s most prominent contemporary authors. His novels, translated into numerous languages, have earned an international readership. His best-known works include The Symmetry of Desires, Neuland and Three Floors, the latter adapted for cinema by Nanni Moretti. In recent years he has been associated with demonstrations against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and has publicly criticised far-right figures within Israeli politics. The disagreement surrounding Nevo’s participation in Il Libro Possibile has become one of the clearest examples of those tensions within the Italian Church. Despite calls for his exclusion, the novelist remains on the programme and is expected to appear in Vieste on 21 July.