Ferdinando Rodolfi

Ferdinando Rodolfi (born August 7, 1866 in San Zenone al Po , Province of Pavia , Italy , † January 12, 1943 in Vicenza ) was Bishop of Vicenza . In Italy he is particularly known for his commitment during the First World War .

Life

Until the end of the First World War

Ferdinando Rodolfi joined in 1878 the seminary of Pavia and received on 4 February 1889, the ordination by Agostino Gaetano Riboldi , bishop of Pavia and later Cardinal . As early as 1888 he was teaching mathematics and natural sciences in Pavia, which he carried out until 1911. In 1902 Rodolfi obtained a degree in philosophy, in 1904 he received his doctorate as a theologian.

Pope Pius X appointed him Bishop of Vicenza on February 14, 1911. He was ordained episcopate on May 7th of the same year by Francesco Ciceri , Bishop of Pavia. Co- consecrators were Antonio Anastasio Rossi , Archbishop of Udine , and Giovanni Cazzani , Bishop of Cesena . The enthronement took place on July 23, 1911. In 1912 he became honorary president of the international welfare for Italians founded by Geremia Bonomelli . As a bishop, the progressive Rodolfi pursued a reconciliation between science and the Church, and he was met by resistance within the Church, especially during the anti-modernist struggle under Pius X. He also reformed pastoral work in Vicenza.

In the First World War he was not neutral, but supported the Italian side. As early as 1915 he took a position here and prayed “for the greatness of Italy”. He had the diocesan seminary converted into a military hospital. In May 1916, when Austria-Hungary started the South Tyrol offensive against Italy, he took measures to ensure the welfare of the population and soldiers. At the same time he was in correspondence with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri in order to obtain current information on the chaos of war in the Vicenza region. On November 4, 1918, he announced the victory of Italy to the faithful from the balcony of the town hall. For his commitment, Rodolfi was awarded the Knightly Order of St. Mauritius and Lazarus excellent.

From 1918

After the end of the war, he enlivened the Azione Cattolica , also to counter the growing influence of socialism . In 1922 the initiative Che il popoli canti was founded on Rodolfi's order to reform liturgical chant and to spread it more widely.

Ferdinando Rodolfi's stance on fascism is contradictory. On the one hand, he greeted like Pope Pius XI. the use of the fascists against socialism and the restoration of law and order in Italy. However, he condemns the violence used by the regime. When two priests were murdered in Sandrigo in April 1924 , he immediately wrote a letter of protest to Benito Mussolini . He visited Vicenza and brought about a reconciliation. After the Lateran Treaty was signed in 1929, the fascist regime tried to dissolve Catholic youth organizations, against which Rodolfi also protested.

On the other hand, he advocated the colonial policy of Italy in Ethiopia from 1935 . In a letter to the clergy and the people, he spoke of “working together for the upswing for the good of the fatherland”. When Italy entered World War II in 1940, unlike in World War I, it was neutral. Without taking a political position, Rodolfi spoke of the hope for lasting peace.

From 1941, his health deteriorated noticeably. Ferdinando Rodolfi died in 1943 with a serious illness at the age of 76.

Web links

• Entry on Ferdinando Rodolfi on catholic-hierarchy.org

predecessor	Office	successor
Antonio Feruglio	Bishop of Vicenza 1911–1943	Carlo Zinato