Fernando Filoni

infobox bishopstyles
name=Fernando Filoni
dipstyle=The Most Reverend
offstyle=Your Excellency
relstyle=Monsignor
deathstyle=none |

Fernando Filoni (15 April 1946) is a Roman Catholic Archbishop and current Substitute for General Affairs with the Roman Curia since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 9 June 2007. Msgr. Filoni is an expert in Chinese affairs and on the Middle East.

Education and early diplomatic work

He was born in Taranto, Italy. He was entered the seminary and earned doctorates in Philosophy and in Canon Law. He was ordained as a priest on 3 July 1970. He served in the Nunciatures of Sri Lanka from 1982 until 1983, Iran from 1983-1985, Brasil from 1989-1992 and finally the Philippines from 1992 until 2001. Although formally assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines he was based in Hong Kong. During these years he spent his most intense and important period of work, on the Holy See’s so-called “Study Mission”, linked to the Manila Nunciature. During this time Msgr. Filoni was John Paul II’s bridge, reaching out to China’s bishops, official and non-official Churches and bishops, reconciling the vast majority to the Holy See.

Apostolic Nuncio

Pope John Paul II appointed Filoni Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq and Jordan on 17 January 2001, becoming Titular Archbishop of "Volturnum". He received Episcopal Ordination from Pope John Paul on 19 March 2001.

Msgr. Filoni defended the freedom of the Roman Catholic Church in Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein and – in line with the Pope’s position – opposed the US invasion of the country. He remained in Baghdad as American bombs fell, refusing to leave the capital, to which he says that "It was nothing exceptional". After the fall of Saddam he did not fail to notice some new aspects of peoples new found freedom. Yet he also warned against the lack of security and the slow development of the economy, while supporting the new constitution and supporting the peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims.

He came close to being killed in Baghdad on 1 February 2006, when a car bomb exploded next to the nunciature. "Thank God we survived" he stated afterward. He served in Iraq and Jordan until 25 February 2006 when he returned to the Philippines as the Nuncio.

ubstitute for General Affairs

Pope Benedict appointed Filoni Substitute for General Affairs on 9 June 2007, formally taking office on the 1 July.

It is Filoni's job to organise the activities of the Curia and appointments to curial offices, maintaining papal documents, as well as handling the concerns of embassies to the Holy See and publishing official communications. He is also responsible for organizing the activities of nuncios around the world in their activities concerning the local churches. As well as speaking his native Italian he also speaks English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Commenting on his appointment he said: “"It is an act of paternal benevolence on the part of the Pontiff, to which I respond without the slightest trepidation, but with the same willingness and profound gratitude I have had in the past. The wonderful words of Our Lord aid me at this time, those found in Luke (17, 10), on the attitude of those called into the Christ’s service: ‘When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do'."”.

References

* [http://www.30giorni.it/us/articolo.asp?id=3652 30 Days interview]
* [http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9507&size=A Asia News reporting hs appointment]