Camillo Ruini | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal Vicar Emeritus of Rome | |
 | |
| Church | RomanCatholic Church |
| Predecessor | Ugo Poletti |
| Successor | Agostino Vallini |
| Other post | Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura (1991–present) |
| Previous posts |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 8 December 1954 by Luigi Traglia |
| Consecration | 29 June 1983 by Gilberto Baroni |
| Created cardinal | 28 June 1991 byPope John Paul II |
| Rank | Cardinal Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1931-02-19)19 February 1931 (age 94) |
| Denomination | Catholic (Roman Rite) |
| Motto | Veritas liberabit nos (the truth will free us) |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Camillo Ruini | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Religious style | Cardinal |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
Camillo Ruini (Italian pronunciation:[kaˈmilloruˈiːni]; born 19 February 1931) is an Italian prelate of theCatholic Church who was made acardinal in 1991. He served as president of theItalian Episcopal Conference from 1991 to 2007 and asVicar General of the Diocese of Rome from 1991 to 2008.
Ruini was very active as a spokesperson for the Church and was one of the Church officials who most often appeared on Italian television, newspapers and magazines.
Ruini was born inSassuolo, Emilia Romagna, on 19 February 1931. After studying at thePontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he obtained alicentiate degrees in philosophy and in sacred theology.[1] He wasordained to the priesthood on 8 December 1954 by ArchbishopLuigi Traglia.[2] He taught philosophy at the diocesanseminary in Emilia Romagna from 1957 to 1968. From 1958 to 1966 he served as chaplain to university students and from 1966 to 1970 he served as a delegate forAzione Cattolica.[citation needed] From 1968 to 1986, he taught dogmatic theology at the Studio Teologico Interdiocesano ofModena-Reggio Emilia-Carpi-Guastalla, where he was also headmaster from 1968 to 1977.[citation needed]
On 16 May 1983,Pope John Paul II named himauxiliary bishop of Reggio Emilia andtitular bishop ofNefta.[3]He was consecrated abishop by Bishop Gilberto Baroni on 29 June.[2] As vice president of the Preparatory Committee, he contributed to the realization of the Ecclesial Convention of Loreto (1985), which has become a reference point in the dialogue between the Church and Italian society following their difficult relationship of the 1960s and 1970s.[citation needed] In June 1986, Pope John Paul named himsecretary-general of the Italian bishops conference.[2] From 1988 to 2011 he was aconsultor of theCongregation for Bishops.[citation needed]
On 17 January 1991, Ruini was named auxiliary bishop and pro-vicar general for theDiocese of Rome. On 17 March 1991 he became pro-president of the Italian bishops conference.[4] He was madeCardinal-Priest ofSant'Agnese fuori le mura on 28 June 1991[5] and named Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome andarchpriest of theBasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano on 1 July 1991.[6] He was also grand chancellor of theLateran University and thePontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.[citation needed]
On 29 December 1992, Ruini became president of thePeregrinatio ad Petri Sedem,[7] which promotes pilgrimages to Rome. He remained in this role until 2 May 1996. Ruini was also a member of theCongregation for Bishops, thePontifical Council for the Laity, theAdministration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, and the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Affairs of the Holy See.[citation needed] Ruini was one of thecardinal electors who participated in the2005 papal conclave that electedPope Benedict XVI.[8]
On 17 March 2010, the Vatican formed a commission to look into the phenomenon ofMedjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, where six young people have said they have had visions of Mary since the early 1980s. Ruini was its president. In January 2014 the commission submitted its findings to theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.[9]
Ruini was seen as a social and political conservative, close to the positions of PopesJohn Paul II and Benedict XVI. He was very active in the mass media and was the strongest voice of the Church against the spring 2005referendum for the liberalization of Italy's legal restrictions onartificial insemination. He commented upon the issue of the 1999 FrenchPacte civil de solidarité for unmarried couples of the same or opposite sex. In 2007 a bill was proposed in the Italian Senate for a law oncivil unions. The bishops conference opposed this proposal.[10]
On 7 March 2007,Pope Benedict XVI named ArchbishopAngelo Bagnasco to succeed Ruini as President of theItalian Episcopal Conference.[11] His resignation from his other positions was accepted byPope Benedict XVI on 27 June 2008.[12] As of 21 June 2013, Ruini was serving as the president of the Scientific Committee of theRatzinger Foundation.[13]
Ruini was hospitalized for more than a week in July 2024. He had a pacemaker implanted to address a cardiac ischemia.[14]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary-General of the Italian Episcopal Conference 1986–1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Italian Episcopal Conference 1991–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Archpriest of the Basilica of St. John Lateran 1991–2008 | Succeeded by | |
| Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome 1991–2008 | ||
| Preceded by | Cardinal Priest ofSant'Agnese fuori le mura 1991– | Incumbent |
| Apparitions | .jpg) | |
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