By Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) staff with files from Catholic Saskatoon News
[Ottawa – Dec. 10, 2020] – Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, currently serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Albania. This ends Archbishop’s mission as papal ambassador to Canada.
Archbishop Bonazzi was appointed to Canada on Dec. 18, 2013 and began his mission upon arrival to Ottawa Feb. 14, 2014.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi celebrating at Sacred Heart Chaldean Catholic parish in Saskatoon during an Oct. 2015 pastoral visit. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
Archbishop Bonazzi was born in Gazzaniga, Italy, on 19 June 1948, and was ordained a priest on 30 June 1973 for the Diocese of Bergamo. Having obtained a Doctorate in Education, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 25 March 1980.
He previously served in the diplomatic missions of the Holy See in Cameroon, Trinidad and Tobago, Malta, Mozambique, Spain, the U.S.A., and Italy, as well in Canada. On June 19, 1999, Archbishop Bonazzi was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, following which he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Cuba March 30, 2004, and then Apostolic Nuncio to Lithuania and Estonia, as of March 14, 2009, and to Latvia, as of March 25, 2009.
Since his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, Archbishop Bonazzi has visited Saskatchewan several times, including a two-day pastoral visit in October 2015.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi (left) visited with leaders of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Saskatoon during his pastoral visit to St. Mary’s Wellness and Education Centre, including (l-r) Parish Life Director Debbie Ledoux, then-Saskatoon Bishop Donald Bolen, and Elder Gayle Weenie. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
The 2015 visit included the dedication of the “Called to Serve” monument in Regina honouring the contributions of Catholic sisters to Saskatchewan, as well as visits involving schools, churches, and Catholic organizations in the Archdiocese of Regina, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon and the Diocese of Prince Albert.
Accompanied by Bishop Donald Bolen and Bishop Bryan Bayda during a pastoral visit to Saskatoon in October 2015, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Bonazzi, was welcomed with bread, salt and flowers at Bishop Filevich Ukrainian Bilingual School. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
“The two days with Archbishop Bonazzi in our midst were truly wonderful. His graciousness, simplicity, deep listening heart and pastoral wisdom made every visit, every stop a celebration of our faith,” said Saskatoon’s Bishop Donald Bolen at the time of the 2015 visit.
The appointment of the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada to replace Archbishop Bonazzi has not yet been announced.
-30-