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'' His Eminence'' 'Camillo Cardinal Ruini' (born February 19, 1931) is an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1991.
He is very active in the mass media and is one of the cardinals who most often appear on Italian television, newspapers and magazines. On February 14, 2006, he was confirmed as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference by Pope Benedict XVI a post at which he served until March 2007.

Contents

Biography

Politics

Retirement

References

Biography

Ruini was born in Sassuolo, Emilia-Romagna. Having studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he obtained a licentiate in philosophy and a licentiate in sacred theology .
He was ordained to the priesthood on December 8, 1954, by Archbishop Luigi Traglia. In 1957 he returned to Reggio Emilia and taught philosophy at the diocesan seminary until 1968. From 1958 to 1966 he served as chaplain to university graduates and from 1966 to 1970 he served as a delegate for Azione Cattolica.
Among his teaching posts, from 1968 until 1986 he taught dogmatic theology at the Studio Teologico Interdiocesano of Modena-Reggio Emilia-Carpi-Guastalla, where he was also headmaster from 1968 to 1977.
On May 16, 1983, he was named auxiliary bishop of Reggio Emilia and titular bishop of ''Nepte'' , and was consecrated a bishop by Bishop Gilberto Baroni the following June 29. 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 the wounds of the 1960s and 1970s.

In June 1986 the Pope named him secretary-general of the Italian bishops' conference. Since 1988 he has been a consultor of the Congregation for Bishops. In January 1991 he was named auxiliary bishop and pro-vicar general for the Diocese of Rome. In March 1991 he became president of the Italian bishops' conference. He was elevated to Cardinal Priest of the ''Title of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura'' in June 1991, and was named vicar general of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome and archpriest of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano in July 1991. He is also grand chancellor of the Lateran University.
In addition to serving as the Cardinal Vicar, Cardinal Ruini serves in the Roman Curia as a member of the Congregation for Bishops, the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See, and the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
Ruini was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. Ruini remains eligible to participate in any future papal conclaves that begin before his 80th birthday on February 19, 2011.

Politics

Camillo Ruini is seen as a conservative, close to the positions of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. He is very active in the mass media, and was the strongest voice of the Church against the spring 2005 referendum for the abolition of parts of Italy's laws on artificial insemination. More recently, he has also commented, along with Pope Benedict XVI, upon the issue of PACS (introduced in France in 1999) for unmarried couples of the same or opposite sex. In Italy PACS was to take a lesser form described in the DICO proposal, that was however feared by many voices inside and outside the Church for undermining the value of family. As a simpler alternative to DICO, Ruini proposed to unmarried couples the possibility to stipulate private acts through notary deeds^[1]. This proposal was appreciated also by some left-wing politicians^[2], but caused an intense debate with the radical left wing. The debate is still open.

Retirement

Cardinal Ruini was expected to be replaced either by Angelo Cardinal Scola or Dionigi Cardinal Tettamanzi. However, "Pope Benedict received a letter opposing Scola from Severino Cardinal Poletto. The appointment of Scola as president, Poletto cautioned in the name of the other bishops of the Piedmont region, would divide the CEI rather than unite it" [1]. However a long shot could be Giacomo Biffi, but this is unlikely due to his advanced age.
On 7 March 2007 Pope Benedict XVI named Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco to succeed Cardinal Ruini as President of the Italian Episcopal Conference. He remains vicar for the diocese of Rome. "The choice is a compromise between two of Benedict's two most influential policy-movers -- Bagnasco is a confirmed Ruini-ite, 'but Bertone likes him,' as one op put it.[2]"

References

1. Nota del Consiglio Episcopale Permanente a riguardo della famiglia fondata sul matrimonio e di iniziative legislative in materia di unioni di fatto [italian]
2. "«Accordi di convivenza: bastano trecento euro e un avvocato che li stipuli»". Interview with Egidio Banti. L'Avvenire, May 16th 2007 [italian]