Raniero Cantalamessa

Reverend Father Rainiero Cantalamessa is a Franciscan Capuchin Priest within the Roman Catholic Church. Born in 1934, he has served as the Preacher to the Papal Household since 1980.

History & Education

Rev. Fr. Cantalamessa was born in Ascoli Piceno, Italy on July 22, 1934. He was ordained a priest within the Roman Catholic Church in 1958. He holds doctoral degrees in Divinity and Classic Literature. Formerly serving as a Professor of History of Ancient Christianity and as the Director of the Department of Religious Sciences at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy, he resigned in 1979. Rev. Fr. Cantalamessa served as a member of the International Theological Commission from 1975 until 1981. [cite web |url=http://www.cantalamessa.org/en/index.php |title=Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, ofmcap |accessdate=2007-04-16]

The Vatican

In 1980, Rev. Fr. Cantalamessa was appointed the Preacher to the Papal Household by Pope John Paul II. He has maintained this position under the reign of Pope Benedict XVI. In this capacity, he provides meditation to the Pope and other high-ranking officials each Friday during Lent and Advent, [cite web |url=http://www.cantalamessa.org/en/index.php |title=P. Raniero Cantalamessa |accessdate=2006-12-15 |last=Cantalamessa |first=Raniero] and is "the only person allowed to preach to the Pope." [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6184477.stm |title="Call for Church sex abuse penance" |accessdate=2006-12-15 |date=2006-12-15 |publisher=BBC website] Rev. Fr. Cantalamessa, a frequent speaker, is a member of the Catholic delegation for the Dialogue with the Pentecostal Churches during the past decade. [cite web |url=http://www.cantalamessa.org/en/index.php |title=Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, ofmcap |accessdate=2007-04-16]

At present, Rev. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa hosts a weekly program on Radiotelevisione Italiana.

It was alleged in some Italian media that he endorsed Arkeon, an organization accused of abuse. However, on his website, Cantalamessa denied any formal links with the group, saying that he once spoke to members but never joined or participated in meetings.

Bibliography

The following are books and articles written by Rev. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. [cite web |url=http://www.cantalamessa.org/en/libri.php |title=P. Raniero Cantalamessa, ofmcap - Bibliography | accessdate=2007-04-16]
*"Glorify God in your Bodies: Our call to horizontal holiness", (1986)
*"Proclaiming the Word within us", "New Evangelization 2000" 10., (1988)
*"The Mystery of Christmas. A Commentary on the Magnificat", (1988)
*"Jesus Christ the Holy One of God", (1991)
*"That they may all be one so that the world may believe", "A Catholic Ecumenical Review" 27, 201-208, (1991)
*"Jesus Christ, the Holy One of God", (1992)
*"The Holy Spirit, Soul of Evangelization", (1992)
*"The Baptism in the Spirit", "Goodnews" 48-50, (1992)
*"The Temptation of Renewal", "Goodnews" 10, 6-8, (1992)
*"The Eucharist our Sanctification", (1993)
*"Easter in the Early Church", (1993)
*"The Unity of the Spirit and the Variety of Charisms: A Response to J. Moltmann", "All Together in One Place, 46-50. (1993)
*"The Mystery of Easter", (1993)
*"The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus, The Mystery of Christ's Baptism", (1994)
*"The Mystery of God's Word", (1994)
*"Virginity", (1995)
*"The Power of the Cross", (1996)
*"The Ascent to Mount Sinai", (1996)
*"Poverty", (1997)
*"Loved by God. The Good News of God's love", "The Word among us" 10, 6-15, (1997)
*"Life in Christ. A spiritual Commentary on the Letter to the Romans", (1997)
*"The Eucharist Our Sanctification", (1998)
*"The Power of this Holy Night", "The Word among us" 4, 7-23, (1999)
*"Remembering those early Days...", "Goodnews", 1-3, (2000)
*"The Call to be prophetic", "Goodnews" 148, 8, (2000)
*"The prophetic role of the Charismatic Renewal", "Pentecost Today" July 8-9.13, (2001)
*"The Mystery of Pentecost", (2002)
*"Welcoming the Giver of All Good Gifts, Reflections for Advent Are the Roots of antisemitism in the New Testament?", (2002)
*"Signs of the Holy Spirit's Love", "The Word Among Us", 4-21, (2002)
*"The violent prayer of Gethsemane", "The Tablet", March 30, 5-7, (2002)
*"The Ascent of Mount Sinai. A Spiritual Journey in Search of the Living God", (2002)
*"Life in Christ. A Spiritual Commentary on the Letter to the Romans", (2002)
*"Spiritual Healing", (2003)
*"Come, Creator Spirit. Meditations on the Veni Creator", (2003)
*"Loving the Church", (2005)
*"Sober intoxication of the Spirit", (2005)
*"This Is My Body", (2005)
*"Contemplating the Trinity", (2007)

ee also

*Pope John Paul II
*Pope Benedict XVI
*Prefecture of the Pontifical Household
*Baptism with the Holy Spirit

References