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Vatican Press Secretary receives doctorate from Regis College in Toronto

Friday, May 09, 2008 Vatican Press Secretary receives doctorate from Regis College in Toronto

On May 27, 2008, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., General Assistant to the Superior General and Press Secretary to Pope Benedict XVl was honored with a Doctor of Divinity at Regis College in Toronto, Canada.



Born in Saluzzo, Italy in 1942, Fr. Lombardi was ordained a priest in 1972. He studied mathematics at Turin University and theology at Frankfurt. Since then, except for a six-year interlude (1984-1990) when he was provincial superior of the Italian Jesuits, all of his time has been devoted to Vatican-related media work. In 1973, he began writing for Civiltà Cattolica, the prestigious Italian Jesuit review, and he became its deputy editor in 1977. He was made director of programming at Vatican Radio in 1991 and appointed its general director in 2005. Since 2001 he has also been general director of the Vatican Television Center.

Most recently, he attended the 35th General Congregation as a delegate, and was elected one of the four “Assistants ad Providentiam.”  This added responsibility includes assisting the Superior General should the need arise, in matters concerning the Society of Jesus and the Roman Curia.