Domenico Battaglia (bishop)

Domenico Battaglia, known as Mimmo Battaglia[lower-alpha 1] (born 20 January 1963) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been the Bishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de' Goti since 2016. He has been named Archbishop of Naples.

The Most Reverend

Domenico Battaglia
Archbishop of Naples
Battaglia in 2018
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
ArchdioceseNaples
SeeNaples
Appointed12 December 2020
Installed2 February 2021
PredecessorCrescenzio Sepe
Orders
Ordination6 February 1988
Consecration3 September 2016
by Vincenzo Bertolone S.d.P.
Personal details
Birth nameDomenico Battaglia
Born (1963-01-20) 20 January 1963
Satriano, Italy
NationalityItalian
DenominationCatholic (Latin Rite)
Previous postBishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de'Goti (2016–2020)
MottoConfide surge vocat Te
Coat of arms
Styles of
Domenico Battaglia
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleMonsignor

Biography
Battaglia on the day he was consecrated a bishop

Domenico Battaglia was born on 20 January 1963 in Satriano in the province of Catanzaro. He studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Regional Seminary San Pio X in Catanzaro. After being ordained a priest on 6 February 1988, he was Rector of the Archiepiscopal Preparatory Seminary of Catanzaro and a member of the Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace from 1989 to 1992, parish administrator in Sant'Elia, parish priest of Madonna del Carmine in Catanzaro, Director of the Diocesan Office for Missionary Cooperation between Churches, and parish priest in Satriano from 1992 to 1999. He was collaborator of the Shrine of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Torre di Ruggiero, parish collaborator in Montepaone Lido and administrator of the parish of Santa Maria di Altavilla in Satriano.[3]

In 1992 he became President of the Calabrese Solidarity Center, which supports efforts to recover from drug addiction and is associated with the Italian Federation of Therapeutic Communities (Italian: Federazione italiana delle comunità terapeutiche or FICT). From 2000 to 2006 he was Vice President of the Bethany Foundation (Italian: Fondazione Betania) a non-profit organization that operates rehabilitation centers and residential healthcare facilities in the provinces of Catanzaro and Vibo Valentia.[3][4] From 2006 to 2015 he was National President of FICT.[3]

Pope Francis named him Bishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant’Agata de 'Goti on 24 June 2016.[5] He was the first priest of the diocese to become a bishop since 1960.[6] He received his episcopal consecration on 3 September from Archbishop Vincenzo Bertolone and was installed on 2 October.[1] He chose as his episcopal motto "Confide Surge Vocat Te" (Take heart, Stand Up, He is Calling) from Mark 10:49. While a bishop, he continued his work as a "street priest", which earned him the sobriquet "Bergoglio of the South".[2] In a pastoral letter in April 2020, he said that the COVID-19 pandemic had "exposed the fragility of this world of ours ... the weakness of that economy which, both locally and globally, was considered the single goal, and was seen and applauded as the only route, without any restraints, to human happiness on earth".[7]

Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Naples on 12 December 2020.[3] His installation is scheduled for 2 February 2021.[8]

Notes
  1. Battaglia has used the name Mimmo Battaglia when signing his first letter to the Catholics of Naples and on his published works; newspapers use the name Mimmo occasionally, as Avvenire did in the caption of a photo accompanying its coverage of his appointment in Naples.[1] Il Fatto Quotidiano uses the phrase "Don Mimmo, as he likes to be called".[2]

References
  1. Cardinale, Gianni (12 December 2020). "L'annuncio Napoli ha un nuovo arcivescovo: è il 57enne Domenico Battaglia". Avvenire (in Italian). Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  2. Grana, Francesco Antonio (12 December 2020). "Papa Francesco nomina Domenico Battaglia nuovo arcivescovo di Napoli. Il 'Bergoglio del Sud Italia' che assiste i tossicodipendenti". Il Fatto Quotidiano (in Italian). Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  3. "Rinunce e nomine, 12.12.2020" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  4. "Fondazione Betania ONLUS" (in Italian). Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  5. "Other Pontifical Acts, 24.06.2016" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  6. Guzzo, Luigi Mariano (24 June 2016). "Catanzaro, don Mimmo Battaglia nominato vescovo". Il Quotidiano del Sud (in Italian). Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  7. "Don Mimmo Battaglia è il nuovo vescovo di Napoli". l’Espresso napoletano (in Italian). 12 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  8. "Santa Messa di Inizio del Ministero Pastorale di Mons. Domenico Battaglia". Chiesa di Napoli (in Italian). Retrieved 30 January 2021.
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