The Salesian Cardinals

Don Bosco’s Sons Who Became Cardinals
Abp. Angelo Amato

(ANS – Rome – Sept. 25, 2023) – Salesian Angelo Amato, who is now prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, was among the cardinals created in the consistory of November 20, 2010.

Born in Molfetta (Bari), Italy, on June 8, 1938, Angelo Amato was the 1st of 4 children and attended elementary schools with the Alcantaro Sisters and the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Hearts. After middle school, he went to the Nautical Institute in Bari in the long-term captains section.

At the beginning of his 3d year of studies, in 1953, he abandoned a promising career and entered the Salesian aspirantate at Torre Annunziata. He then completed his novitiate in Portici Bellavista from 1955 to 1956, and on August 16, 1956, he made his 1st religious profession. He went on to the San Gregorio philosophical studentate at Catania, where he attended the 3 years of classical studies, graduating in July 1959. Then, until 1962, he studied in Rome at the Salesian Pontifical Athenaeum (PAS), obtaining a licentiate in philosophy. In the meantime, having completed the period of formation within the Salesian Congregation, he made his perpetual profession on June 28 of the same year. He did 2 years of practical training at the Salesian College at Cisternino, where he taught literature in middle school. After obtaining a licentiate in theology at the Salesian University School of Theology in Rome, he was ordained on December 22, 1967.

Enrolled at the Pontifical Gregorian University, in 1974 he obtained a doctorate in theology and was immediately called to teach the subject. In 1977 he was sent to Greece by the Secretariat for Christian Unity, spending 4 months in the Athenian Jesuit residence for linguistic preparation for university enrollment. After passing the admission exam, he went to Thessaloniki as a fellow of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. His residence was the Vlatadon Monastery, home to the convent of Orthodox monks and the Institute of Patristic Studies, with a library specializing in Orthodox theology and a valuable microfilm collection of the manuscripts of Mount Athos. The well-known Greek patron Konstantinos Christou, who was also minister of education of Greece, was then director of Idrima.

Enrolled in the school of theology at the University of Thessaloniki, he followed the lectures on the history of dogmas by Jannis Kaloghirou and on systematic dogmatics by Jannis Romanidis. At the same time, he conducted research on the sacrament of Penance in Greek Orthodox theology from the 16th to the 20th century, the text of which Christou sought to be published in the “Análekta Vlatádon” series (1982).

Back in Rome, he taught Christology in the School of Theology at the UPS, of which he was dean from 1981 to 1987 and from 1994 to 1999. From 1997 to 2000 he was also vice rector of the University. In 1988 he was sent to Washington to study the theology of religions and to complete the Christology manual. Meanwhile, he became a consultant to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the pontifical councils for Promoting Christian Unity and Interreligious Dialog, and an advisor to the Pontifical International Marian Academy.

In 1999 he was appointed prelate secretary of the restructured Pontifical Academy of Theology and director of the new theological magazine Path. From 1996 to 2000 he was part of the theological and historical commission for the great Jubilee Year 2000.

Appointed on December 19, 2002, as secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and named to the titular See of Sila with the personal title of archbishop, he received episcopal ordination on January 6, 2003, by John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica.

On July 9, 2008, Benedict XVI called him to succeed Cardinal José Saraiva Martins as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

In addition to articles and essays in magazines and theological dictionaries, he has published numerous works, including: The Gospel of the Father (1999), Jesus, the Lord: An essay on Christology, 7th edition (2008), Jesus, Identity of Christianity (2008), The Celibacy of Jesus (2010), Saints in the Church (2010), and Catholicism and Secularism in Contemporary Europe (2010).

He participated in the conclave of March 2013 that elected Pope Francis.

On December 19 that year, Pope Francis confirmed him as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. On May 26, 2018, as his 80th birthday neared, his replacement by Giovanni Angelo Becciu as prefect was announced, and he retired from that office on August 31.