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Angelo Scola | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal,Archbishop Emeritus of Milan | |
 Cardinal Scola in 2014. | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Milan |
| Metropolis | Milan |
| See | Milan |
| Appointed | 28 June 2011 |
| Installed | 25 September 2011 |
| Term ended | 7 July 2017 |
| Predecessor | Dionigi Tettamanzi |
| Successor | Mario Enrico Delpini |
| Other post | Cardinal-Priest of Santi XII Apostoli (2003–present) |
| Previous posts |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 18 July 1970 by Abele Conigli |
| Consecration | 21 September 1991 by Bernardin Gantin |
| Created cardinal | 21 October 2003 byPope John Paul II |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Angelo Scola (1941-11-07)7 November 1941 (age 84) |
| Motto | Latin:Sufficit gratia Tua (Your Grace Suffices) |
| Signature |  |
| Coat of arms |  |
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| Source(s):Catholic Hierarchy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Angelo Scola ([ˈandʒeloˈskɔːla]; born 7 November 1941) is an ItalianCardinal of theCatholic Church, a prominent philosopher, and theologian. He served asArchbishop of Milan from 2011 to 2017, overseeing one of the largest dioceses in the world, and previously asPatriarch of Venice from 2002 to 2011. Elevated to the cardinalate in 2003 byPope John Paul II, Scola has been a key figure in contemporary Catholic theology, particularly in areas of anthropological theology, marriage and family, and ecumenical dialogue.
His scholarly work, influenced by thinkers such asHans Urs von Balthasar andHenri de Lubac, emphasizes the nuptial mystery as a central motif in understanding Christian faith and human existence.
Scola's ecclesiastical career spans over five decades, beginning with his ordination in 1970 and including significant roles in academia and the Roman Curia. As a professor and rector at thePontifical Lateran University, he advanced theological education, particularly in marriage and family studies.
His pastoral leadership in Grosseto, Venice, and Milan focused on catechesis, youth formation, and cultural engagement, while his curial appointments addressed doctrine, clergy, and new evangelization. Scola was considered a leading candidate in the papal conclaves of 2005 and 2013, and though ineligible to vote due to age, he participated in the 2025 conclave following the death ofPope Francis.
In retirement, he continues to contribute through writings on aging, death, and Christian hope, including his 2025 bookAwaiting a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age, prefaced by Pope Francis.Renowned for his intellectual rigor and pastoral openness, Scola has authored numerous works translated into multiple languages, exploring bioethics, anthropology, and ecclesiology. He founded initiatives like theStudium Generale Marcianum and the journalOasis to foster interfaith dialogue, particularly with Islam. His theology integrates tradition with contemporary challenges, advocating for the indissolubility of marriage while promoting ecumenism and the renewal inspired by theSecond Vatican Council. As of 2025, Scola resides in Imberido, Italy, remaining an influential voice in Catholic thought.
Angelo Scola was born on 7 November 1941 inMalgrate, a small town nearLecco in theProvince of Lecco, then part of theKingdom of Italy. He was the younger of two sons born to Carlo Scola, a truck driver, and Regina Colombo, a homemaker.[1] His elder brother, Pietro, died in 1983. Growing up in a modest working-class family during the post-World War II era, Scola's early life was marked by the economic hardships of northern Italy's industrial regions, which later influenced his pastoral concern for laborers.Scola attended the Manzoni Lyceum in Lecco, where he excelled academically and became involved in Catholic youth movements.[1] He was an active participant inGioventù Studentesca (Student Youth), a precursor toCommunion and Liberation, fostering his early interest in faith and community. From 1964 to 1967, he studied philosophy at theUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, earning a doctorate with a dissertation on Christian philosophy underGustavo Bontadini.[2] During this period, he served as vice-president and then president of the Milanese chapter of theFederazione Universitaria Cattolica Italiana (FUCI), the university arm ofCatholic Action.At the university, Scola encounteredLuigi Giussani, founder of Communion and Liberation, whose emphasis on lived faith profoundly shaped his spirituality.[1] After teaching in high schools, Scola entered theArchiepiscopal Seminary of Milan in 1967, studying in Saronno and Venegono Inferiore. In 1969, denied early ordination as a subdeacon by Milanese authorities, he transferred to theDiocese of Teramo-Atri on Giussani's advice.[3] He was ordained a priest on 18 July 1970 in Teramo by Bishop Abele Conigli.Scola pursued further studies, earning a doctorate in theology from theUniversity of Fribourg in Switzerland, with a dissertation onThomas Aquinas.[1] Influenced by theNouvelle Théologie, he collaborated on the journalCommunio, editing its Italian edition and conducting interviews with de Lubac and von Balthasar.[1] He conducted research in Munich and Paris, engaging in pastoral work before returning to Fribourg as a research assistant in political philosophy (1979–1982).
In 1982, Scola was appointed Professor of Theological Anthropology at thePontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family and Professor of Contemporary Christology at thePontifical Lateran University.[4] He promoted scholarships for international students, particularly from developing countries.[5] From 1986 to 1991, he served as a consultor to theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.Scola's theological contributions focus on anthropological themes, drawing from von Balthasar's aesthetics and de Lubac's ecclesiology. His work on the "nuptial mystery" posits marriage as a paradigm for understanding God's relationship with humanity, influencing his views on family and bioethics.[6] He has published extensively on human sexuality, ethics, and Christology, emphasizing the integration of faith and reason.
On 18 July 1991, Pope John Paul II appointed ScolaBishop of Grosseto. He was consecrated on 21 September by CardinalBernardin Gantin, with Bishops Conigli and Tacconi as co-consecrators. Adopting the mottoSufficit gratia tua (2 Corinthians 12:9), Scola prioritized catechetical renewal, reopening the diocesan seminary and emphasizing youth education.[1]His pastoral initiatives included vocational promotion, parish revitalization, and support for workers amid industrial decline. He established a diocesan mission inSanta Cruz, Bolivia, and authored a book on the Church's educative role for young people. Scola's tenure highlighted cultural and familial concerns, laying groundwork for his later emphases.[7]
Resigning from Grosseto in 1995, Scola became Rector of the Pontifical Lateran University and President of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute. He spent a term as visiting professor in Washington, D.C., authoring a monograph on von Balthasar.[1]He joined theCongregation for the Clergy (1995), chaired the Italian Bishops' Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education (1996), and served on thePontifical Council for Health Workers (1996–2001), authoring texts on healthcare ethics. In 1996, he joined thePontifical Council for the Family. These roles deepened his engagement with doctrinal and pastoral issues.
AppointedPatriarch of Venice on 5 January 2002, Scola was installed amid expectations of intellectual leadership. Elected president of the Triveneto Bishops' Conference in April, he was created Cardinal-Priest ofSanti XII Apostoli on 21 October 2003.[8]In Venice, Scola emphasized openness, holding weekly open meetings.[9] He founded theStudium Generale Marcianum for academic formation andOasis journal for Christian-Muslim dialogue.[1] Scola administered theDiocese of Treviso in 2009 and Venice in 2011.Consideredpapabile in 2005, he advocated for cultural engagement to evangelize society.[10]
On 28 June 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named Scola Archbishop of Milan, succeeding Cardinal Tettamanzi.[11] He took possession by proxy on 9 September and was enthroned on 25 September, receiving the pallium from Benedict.In Milan, Scola focused on new evangelization, youth, and family. He joined theCongregation for the Oriental Churches (2012) andCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (2012). Multilingual, he engaged diverse communities.[12]A frontrunner in the 2013 conclave, an erroneous announcement by Italian bishops named him pope before Francis' election.[13]Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 7 July 2017, appointing BishopMario Delpini.[14]
In retirement, Scola resides in Imberido nearLake Annone, focusing on writing and reflection.[15] Though over 80 and ineligible to vote, he attended the 2025 papal conclave following Pope Francis' death in March 2025.[16]In April 2025, the Vatican published his bookAwaiting a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age, with a preface by Pope Francis written in February 2025. The work explores aging and death through a Christian lens, emphasizing hope and eternity.[17][18] Scola's post-retirement contributions continue to address existential themes, bridging theology and human experience.
Scola's theology is characterized by a synthesis of tradition and modernity, influenced by Communion and Liberation's experiential approach. He emphasizes the Church's cultural role, arguing for engagement beyond the sacristy.[19]
At the 2014–2015 Synods on the Family, Scola opposed Communion for divorced and remarried couples without continence, viewing it as contradicting marriage's indissolubility.[20][21] He stresses pastoral accompaniment while upholding doctrine.
Scola advocates grassroots ecumenism with Islam and Orthodoxy, addressing persecution and shared issues like family and justice.[22] HisOasis initiative promotes dialogue.
Scola interprets Vatican II as enriching continuity, not rupture.[23][24] He contributed to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization.
Scola has authored over 120 articles and numerous books on theology, anthropology, and ethics, translated into several languages.
Hans Urs Von Balthasar: A Theological Style (1995) ISBN 0-8028-0894-8The Nuptial Mystery (2005) ISBN 0-8028-2831-0Il morire tra ragione e fede (2014, with Emanuele Severino et al.) ISBN 9788865122594Simon Called Peter: In the Footsteps of a Man Following God (2011)Betting on Freedom (2021)Awaiting a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age (2025)
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"Scola Card. Angelo".Holy See Press Office.Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved19 December 2025.Official websiteSalt+Light Media: Habemus Papabili – John Allen on Cardinal Angelo Scola onYouTubeInternational JournalOasis
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Grosseto 20 July 1991 – 14 September 1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical Lateran University 14 September 1995 – 5 January 2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Patriarch of Venice 5 January 2002 – 28 June 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Cardinal-Priest of Santi XII Apostoli 21 October 2003 – | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Archbishop of Milan 9 September 2011 – 7 July 2017 | Succeeded by |
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$=considered an intruder by theCatholic Church | |
