Sebastiano Baggio
Cardinal-Priest of San Sebastiano alle Catacombe (1973–74) | |
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Alma mater | Pontifical Gregorian University |
Motto | Operando custodire |
Coat of arms |
Styles of Sebastiano Cardinal Baggio | |
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Velletri-Segni |
Sebastiano Baggio (16 May 1913 – 21 March 1993)
Early life and priestly ministry
Born in Rosà, Veneto, Sebastiano was ordained a priest on 21 December 1935, at the age of 22, in Vicenza. He took postgraduate studies and joined the Holy See's diplomatic service with the first posting as attaché to the Apostolic nunciature in Austria in 1938.
Episcopal ministry
In 1953 he was consecrated a bishop and given the rank of archbishop. He served as Apostolic Nuncio to Chile from 1953 to 1959; Apostolic Delegate to Canada from 1959 to 1964; and Apostolic Nuncio to Brazil from 1964 to 1969.
He was appointed prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on 26 February 1973.[2]
One of the most influential posts he held in Rome - between 1973 and 1984 - was Prefect of the
The same obituary, written by the respected Catholic journalist Peter Hebblethwaite, drew attention to Baggio's relationship with Opus Dei and his battles with Fr Pedro Arrupe, the Jesuit General, over the future of Central American policy: "Baggio - and Pope John Paul - wanted a 'unitary policy' for Central America which the Jesuits and other religious thought impossible in view of the different situations: civil war in El Salvador, dictatorship in Panama, a post-revolutionary regime in Nicaragua, and a persecuting born-again General in Guatemala."[5]
He participated in the two conclaves of 1978 and when he died in 1993 at Rome at age 79 was both Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, and a sub-dean of the College of Cardinals. He had been a priest for 57 years, a bishop for 39 years, and a cardinal for 23 years. Described as "affable, smiling, squat and somewhat worldly, Baggio was deeply attached to his native Rosà and not only willed that his remains were to be buried in the family tomb but inside the local cemetery."
According to the report from Bishop Ganon in 'the Ganon Report' to Popes Paul VI, John Paul I, and John Paul II and in 'Peccorelli's list; Cardinal Baggio was secretly a Freemason.[6]
References
- ISBN 0837902258.
- ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXV. 1973. p. 111. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- Independent.co.uk. 23 March 1993.
- TheGuardian.com. 21 April 2008.
- Independent.co.uk. 23 March 1993.
- ^ "View source for Sebastiano Baggio - Wikipedia".