# Francesco Montenegro

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Italian prelate

His Eminence Francesco Montenegro Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Agrigento Cardinal Francesco Montenegro during Consistory 2015. Church Roman Catholic Church Archdiocese Agrigento See Agrigento Appointed 23 February 2008 Installed 17 May 2008 Term ended 22 May 2021 Predecessor Carmelo Ferraro Successor Alessandro Damiano Other post Cardinal-Priest of Santi Andrea a Gregorio al Monte Celio (2015-) Previous post Auxiliary Bishop of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela (2000–08) Orders Ordination 8 August 1969 by Francesco Fasola Consecration 18 March 2000 by Giovanni Marra Created cardinal 14 February 2015 by Pope Francis Rank Cardinal-Priest Personal details Born (1946-05-22) 22 May 1946 (age 80) Messina, Italy Motto Caritas Sine Modo (Love without Limit) Coat of arms

Ordination history of Francesco Montenegro History Priestly ordination Date 8 August 1969 Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Giovanni Marra Co-consecrators Ignazio Cannavo Francesco Sgalambro Date 29 April 2000 Cardinalate Elevated by Pope Francis Date 14 February 2015 Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Francesco Montenegro as principal consecrator Alessandro Damiano 5 September 2020

Styles of Francesco Montenegro Reference style His Eminence Spoken style Your Eminence Religious style Cardinal Informal style Cardinal

**Francesco Montenegro** (born 22 May 1946) is an Italian prelate of the [Roman Catholic Church](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church). He served as the [Archbishop of Agrigento](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Agrigento) from 2008 until 2021. [Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) made him a [cardinal](/source/Cardinalate) on 14 February 2015.

## Early life and career

Francesco Montenegro was born in [Messina](/source/Messina) on 22 May 1946. He studied philosophy and theology at the Archdiocesan Seminary Saint Pius X there. He was ordained a priest on 8 August 1969 and then continued his studies at the Ignatianum of Messina. He did parish work during 1969–1971 in a suburban area of the city of Messina and in 1971–1978 served as secretary to the Archbishops of Messina [Francesco Fasola](/source/Francesco_Fasola) and [Ignazio Cannavò](/source/Ignazio_Cannav%C3%B2).[1]

From 1978 to 1988 he was pastor of the parish of San Clemente in Messina and then director of the diocesan branch of [Caritas](/source/Caritas_(charity)), regional delegate of Caritas, and finally regional representative of the Italian Caritas.[1]

He also fulfilled assignments as a professor of religion, diocesan assistant of [Italian Sports Center](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centro_Sportivo_Italiano), diocesan director of the Apostleship of Prayer, rector of the church sanctuary of Santa Rita and spiritual adviser of the minor seminary, and a member of the Council of Priests.

From 1997 to 2000, he was pro-vicar general of the [Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Messina-Lipari-Santa_Lucia_del_Mela) and served as well beginning in 1998 as proto-metropolitano canon of the chapter of the cathedral of Messina.[1]

## Bishop, archbishop and cardinal

On 18 March 2000, [Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II) appointed him auxiliary bishop of Messina-Lipari-Saint Lucia del Mela and titular bishop of [Aurusuliana](/source/Byzacena#Episcopal_sees).[1] He received his episcopal consecration on 29 April 2000 in the cathedral of Messina from Archbishop [Giovanni Marra](/source/Giovanni_Marra).[2]

From May 2003 to May 2008, and again from May 2015 to December 2018, he was President of Italian Caritas.[3]

On 23 February 2008, [Pope Benedict XVI](/source/Pope_Benedict_XVI) named him Archbishop of Agrigento, replacing [Carmelo Ferraro](/source/Carmelo_Ferraro), who had resigned because of his age.[4] He took possession of the archdiocese on 17 May.[2]

Since May 2013, he has been President of the Commission for Migration of the [Italian Episcopal Conference](/source/Italian_Episcopal_Conference).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

On 4 January 2015, [Pope Francis](/source/Pope_Francis) announced that he would make Montenegro a cardinal during the consistory in Rome on 14 February.[5] At that ceremony, he was assigned the titular church of [Santi Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio](/source/Santi_Andrea_e_Gregorio_al_Monte_Celio).[6] On 13 April 2015, Pope Francis appointed Montenegro a member of [Pontifical Council Cor Unum](/source/Pontifical_Council_Cor_Unum) and [Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People](/source/Pontifical_Council_for_the_Pastoral_Care_of_Migrants_and_Itinerant_People).[7] Pope Francis also named him to participate in the Synod on the Family in October 2015.[8]

Pope Francis appointed Alessandro Damiano Archbishop Coadjutor of Agrigento in anticipation of Montenegro's retirement on 30 April 2020[9] and accepted Montenegro's resignation on 22 May 2021.[10]

Montenegro was named a member of the [Congregation for the Causes of Saints](/source/Congregation_for_the_Causes_of_Saints) on 7 August 2021.[11]

On 19 June 2023, Pope Francis nominated him as Apostolic Administrator *sede vacante* of the Greek Catholic [Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi](/source/Eparchy_of_Piana_degli_Albanesi).[12]

Montenegro participated as a [cardinal elector](/source/Cardinal_electors_in_the_2025_papal_conclave) in the [2025 papal conclave](/source/2025_papal_conclave) that elected [Pope Leo XIV](/source/Pope_Leo_XIV).[13]

## See also

- [Cardinals created by Pope Francis](/source/Cardinals_created_by_Pope_Francis)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-vatbio_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-vatbio_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-vatbio_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-vatbio_1-3) ["Rinunce e Nomine"](http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2000/03/18/0170/00617.html) (Press release) (in Italian). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). 18 March 2000. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-diobio_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-diobio_2-1) ["Mons. Francesco Montenegro"](http://www.diocesiag.it/biografia/). *Arcidiocesi di Agrigento* (in Italian). Retrieved 30 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-italcar_3-0)** ["Grazie Presidente! Caritas Italiana saluta il cardinal Montenegro"](https://www.caritas.it/pls/caritasitaliana/v3_s2ew_consultazione.mostra_pagina?id_pagina=7978). *Caritas Italians* (in Italian). 4 December 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Rinunce e Nomine"](http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2008/02/23/0117/00278.html) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 23 February 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Annuncio di Concistoro per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali"](http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/de/bollettino/pubblico/2015/01/04/0006/00008.html) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Consistory: list of titular church assignments"](http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/02/14/consistory_list_of_titular_church_assignments/1123425). *Vatican Radio*. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Rinunce e nomine, 13.04.2015"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2015/04/13/0266/00579.html) (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Pope completes selection of Synod participants with bipartisan nominations and two parish priests"](https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/en/2015/09/15/news/pope-completes-selection-of-synod-participants-with-bipartisan-nominations-and-two-parish-priests-1.35224212). *La Stampa*. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Rinunce e Nomine, 30.04.2020"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2020/04/30/0255/00558.html) (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Resignations and Appointments, 22.05.2021"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/05/22/210522b.html) (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Resignations and Appointments, 07.08.2021"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2021/08/07/0492/01057.html) (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Rinunce e nomine"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/06/19/0453/01013.html#pia).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Cardinal Electors"](https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html). Catholic-Hierarchy.org. 6 May 2025. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250506193115/https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html) from the original on 6 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Francesco Montenegro](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Francesco_Montenegro)***.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Francesco Montenegro](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Francesco_Montenegro).

- ["Montenegro Card. Francesco"](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_montenegro_f.html). [Holy See Press Office](/source/Holy_See_Press_Office). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170904104652/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_montenegro_f.html) from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.

Catholic Church titles Preceded by Francesco Sgalambro Auxiliary Bishop of Messina–Lipari–Santa Lucia del Mela 18 March 2000 – 23 February 2008 Succeeded by Cesare Di Pietro Preceded by Luciano Bux — TITULAR — Titular Bishop of Aurusuliana 18 March 2000 – 23 February 2008 Succeeded by Adam Bałabuch Preceded by Carmelo Ferraro Archbishop of Agrigento 23 February 2008 – 22 May 2021 Succeeded by Alessandro Damiano Preceded by Edmund Szoka Cardinal-Priest of Santi Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio 14 February 2015 – Incumbent

v t e College of Cardinals List of current cardinals Cardinals of the Catholic Church under Pope Leo XIV in order of precedence Cardinal bishops Re Sandri Arinze Bertone Martins Parolin Ouellet Filoni Stella Tagle Raï Sako Cardinal priests Kitbunchu Poupard Wetter López Rodríguez Mahony Darmaatmadja Wamala Maida Puljić Sandoval Stafford De Giorgi Rouco Schönborn Rivera Pujats Sepe Kasper Bačkis Errázuriz Napier Rodríguez Cipriani Herranz Scola Okogie Zubeir Wako Rigali Antonelli Turkson Bozanić Barbarin Erdő Rodé Vallini Rosales Ricard Cañizares O'Malley Dziwisz Zen Lajolo Comastri Ryłko Farina Brady Martínez Sistach Bagnasco Sarr Gracias Robles DiNardo Scherer Njue Sarah Monterisi Burke Koch Piacenza Ravasi Romeo Wuerl Assis Nycz Ranjith Marx Brandmüller de Castro Abril Vegliò Bertello Coccopalmerio Aviz O'Brien Calcagno Versaldi Alencherry Collins Eijk Betori Dolan Woelki Tong Harvey Thottunkal Onaiyekan Salazar Baldisseri Müller Nichols Brenes Lacroix Kutwa Tempesta Bassetti Poli Yeom Ezzati Ouédraogo Quevedo Langlois Clemente Souraphiel Dew Nguyễn Suárez Bo Kovithavanij Montenegro Sturla Blázquez Lacunza Gomes Furtado Mafi Villalba Langa Nzapalainga Osoro Rocha Cupich D'Rozario Porras De Kesel Piat Aguiar Retes Ribat Tobin Zerbo Omella Arborelius Mangkhanekhoun Rosa De Donatis Coutts Marto Barreto Tsarahazana Petrocchi Maeda Ticona Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo García Ambongo Besungu Hollerich Ramazzini Zuppi López Romero Tamkevičius Kambanda Gregory Advincula Aós Lojudice Arizmendi Aveline Okpaleke Steiner Ferrão McElroy do Carmo da Silva Cantoni Poola Costa Goh Martínez Flores Marengo Jiménez Miglio Pizzaballa Brislin Rossi Rueda Ryś Mulla Cobo Rugambwa Francis Chow Bustillo Alves Aguiar Padrón Castillo Bokalic Cabrera Chomalí Kikuchi David Nemet Spengler Bessi Dogbo Vesco Mathieu Repole Reina Leo Bychok Battaglia Cardinal deacons Mamberti Zenari Farrell Simoni Ladaria Becciu Krajewski Bocos Mendonça Czerny Fitzgerald Grech Semeraro Gambetti Tomasi Cantalamessa Feroci Roche You Vérgez Ghirlanda Frezza Gugerotti Fernández Pierre Fernández Artime Marchetto Acerbi Makrickas Radcliffe Baggio Koovakad Cardinals ineligible to participate in a papal conclave in italics See also: Titular Titular church List of titular churches List of creations of cardinals Category Media Catholic Church portal

v t e Cardinals created by Francis 2014 Parolin Baldisseri Müller Stella Nichols Brenes Lacroix Kutwa Tempesta Bassetti Poli Yeom Ezzati Ouédraogo Quevedo Langlois Capovilla Aguilar Felix 2015 Mamberti Clemente Souraphiel Dew Menichelli Nhơn Suárez Inda Bo Kovitvanit Montenegro Sturla Blázquez Lacunza Gomes Furtado Mafi Pimiento De Magistris Rauber Villalba Langa 2016 Zenari Nzapalainga Osoro da Rocha Cupich D'Rozario Porras De Kesel Piat Farrell Aguiar Retes Ribat Tobin Fernandez Corti Khoarai Simoni 2017 Zerbo Omella Arborelius Mangkhanekhoun Rosa 2018 Sako Ladaria De Donatis Becciu Krajewski Coutts Marto Barreto Tsarahazana Petrocchi Maeda Obeso Ticona Bocos 2019 Ayuso de Mendonça Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo García Ambongo Hollerich Ramazzini Zuppi López Czerny Fitzgerald Tamkevičius Dal Corso 2020 Grech Semeraro Kambanda Gregory Advincula Aós Braco Sim Lojudice Gambetti Arizmendi Tomasi Cantalamessa Feroci 2022 Roche You Vérgez Aveline Okpaleke Steiner Ferrão McElroy do Carmo da Silva Cantoni Poola Costa Baawobr Goh Martínez Flores Marengo Jimenéz Miglio Ghirlanda Frezza 2023 Prevost Gugerotti Fernández Tscherrig Pierre Pizzaballa Brislin Rossi Rueda Ryś Mulla Cobo Rugambwa Francis Chow Bustillo Alves Aguiar Fernández Artime Marchetto Padrón Dri 2024 Acerbi Castillo Bokalic Cabrera Chomali Kikuchi David Nemet Spengler Bessi Dogbo Vesco Mathieu Repole Reina Leo Makrickas Bychok Radcliffe Baggio Koovakad Battaglia Catholic Church portal

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Francesco Montenegro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Montenegro) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Montenegro?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.