Alberto Bovone

infobox cardinalstyles
cardinal name=Alberto Cardinal Bovone
dipstyle=His Eminence
offstyle=Your Eminence
See=none |

Alberto Cardinal Bovone (June 11, 1922—April 17, 1998) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 1995 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1998.

Biography

Alberto Bovone was born in Frugarolo, and attended the seminary in Alessandria. Ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1945, he then did pastoral work for a year before continuing his studies from 1946 until 1951 at the University of Turin and the Angelicum in Rome (from where he obtained his doctorate in canon law). Bovone entered the Roman Curia as an official of the Congregation for the Council in October 1951, and was later made Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on May 21, 1973.

Pope John Paul II named him Titular Archbishop of "Caesarea in Numidia" on April 5, 1984, and Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on three days later, on April 8. Bovone received his episcopal consecration on the following May 12 from Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, with Bishop Ferdinando Maggioni and Archbishop Luigi Dadaglio serving as co-consecrators. As Secretary of the Doctrine of the Faith, he was the second-highest official of that dicastery, under Cardinal Ratzinger.

Bovone was later appointed to head the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints on June 13, 1995. As he had yet to be raised to the College of Cardinals, he only held the title of Pro-Prefect of the congregation. John Paul II created him Cardinal Deacon of "Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova" in the consistory of February 21, 1998. Accordingly, Bovone was became full Prefect of the Causes of the Saints two days later, on February 23.

The Cardinal died in Rome two months later, at the age of 75. He is buried in his family's plot in Frugarolo.

External links

* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-b.htm#Bovone Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbovone.html Catholic-Hierarchy]
* [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1998/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19980420_cardeal-bovone_en.html John Paul II's Homily at Cardinal Bovone's Funeral Mass]