Antonio Poma

infobox cardinalstyles
cardinal name=Antonio Cardinal Poma
dipstyle=His Eminence
offstyle=Your Eminence
See=Bologna (emeritus) |

Antonio Cardinal Poma (June 12, 1912—September 24, 1985) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Bologna from 1968 to 1983, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1969.

Biography

Antonio Poma was born in Villanterio, and studied at the seminary in Pavia and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (from where he obtained his doctorate in theology in 1934). He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Giuseppe Palica on April 15, 1933, in the chapel of the Major Roman Seminary. Before becoming rector of the Pavia seminary in July 1947, he was made private secretary to the Bishop of Pavia and a professor of literature and of dogmatic theology at the same seminary in 1935.

On October 28, 1951, Poma was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Mantua and Titular Bishop of "Thagaste" by Pope Pius XII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following December 9 from Bishop Carlo Allorio, with Bishops Vittorio De Zanche and Giuseppe Piazzi serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of Pavia. Poma was named Coadjutor Bishop of Mantua on August 2, 1952, later succeeding Domenico Menna as Bishop of the same on September 8, 1954. From 1962 to 1965, he attended the Second Vatican Council. He was advanced to Coadjutor Archbishop of Bologna and Titular Archbishop of "Hierpiniana" on July 16, 1967. On February 12, 1968, Poma succeeded Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro as Archbishop of Bologna upon the latter's resignation.

Pope Paul VI created him Cardinal Priest of "S. Luca a Via Prenestina" in the consistory of April 28, 1969. From 1969 to 1979, Poma served as President of the Italian Episcopal Conference; during this capacity, he warned that Catholics who support Communism separate themselves from the Church [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,947657-2,00.html The Communists Seize the Initiative] May 31, 1976] . He was also one of the cardinal electors who participated in the conclaves of August and October 1978, which selected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II respectively. On February 11, 1983, the Cardinal resigned as Bologna's archbishop, after almost fourteen years of service. He continued to govern the archdiocese as its Apostolic Administrator until the appointment of Bishop Enrico Manfredini on the following March 18.

Poma died in Bologna, at age 75. He is buried in the metropolitan cathedral of the same city.

Trivia

*During his tenure as Archbishop of Bologna, he founded the second House of Charity, the "Mensa della fraternità" or Poor People's Refectory, the Diocesan Charitas and the Mission of the Bolognese Church in Tanzania [Chiesa di Bologna. [http://www.bologna.chiesacattolica.it/arcidiocesi/01_storia_inglese.php The History of the Church in Bologna] ] .
*Poma suffered from erysipelas [TIME Magazine. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,919865-7,00.html The September Pope] October 9, 1978] .

References

External links

* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-p.htm#Poma Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bpoma.html Catholic-Hierarchy]