Mgr. Giuseppe Betori, secretary general of the Italian Bishops Conference, has been appointed by the Pope today new archbishop of Florence, replacing card. Ennio Antonelli. A double "thank you": to card. Bagnasco and to card. Ruini, whom he called "two great, wise and brave presidents": this is how mgr. Giuseppe Betori greeted his new appointment today. Mgr. Giuseppe Bertello, apostolic nuncio to Italy, defined the appointment "a happy occasion" and "a much longed-for announcement". Card. Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Bishops Conference who is now in the Holy Land with the pilgrimage of his diocese, sent a "message" in which he defines the appointment "joyful news" and mentions mgr. Betori’s "generous, unfailing and daily devotion, combined with his capable heart and mind" for which "the Italian bishops esteem and are thankful to him". Mgr. Betori was born in Foligno on February 25th 1947. Ordained priest on September 26th 1970, he was appointed secretary general of the Italian Bishops Conference on April 3rd 2001 and reappointed on April 6th 2006. He has been a contributor to several Italian Dictionaries and catechisms and is the author of many articles of biblical exegesis published by several specialist journals. In addition he has been the director of the Catechistic Office of the Italian Bishops Conference and the coordinator of the national ecclesiastic conferences of Palermo (1995) and Verona (2006).
