Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the now ninety-year-old Capuchin who has become a spiritual reference in the Vatican and for millions of Italians, has held sermons for the Papal Household for over four decades, spanning three pontificates: John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. This Saturday, November 9, marks the conclusion of his historic assignment, which began in 1980 and characterized by catechesis for the season of Advent and Lent in front of the Roman Curia. In 2020, Pope Francis honored him with the cardinalate, a title that Cantalamessa humbly accepted, choosing to retain the Franciscan habit.
The baton passes today to Father Roberto Pasolini, also a Capuchin friar, with a commitment already rooted in the world of pastoral care and charity. Pasolini, who is 53 years old and born in Milan, is known for his work with the most vulnerable in society: in the streets of Milan, in the lively neighborhoods of the Navigli, he followed initiatives for the poor, brought comfort to prisoners and he dedicated himself to distributing food for the homeless. Now the Pontiff has chosen him to continue the tradition of catechesis addressed to the Curia and the Pope, thus entrusting him with the task of continuing the legacy of Cantalamessa in a new chapter of spirituality.
Pasolini, ordained a priest in 2006, boasts a notable academic career in the field of languages and Sacred Scripture, today teaching Biblical Exegesis at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy. His education is intertwined with a curious past: before choosing religious life, he dedicated himself to technology, a sector in which he retains a profound curiosity, with an open eye to the new frontiers of communication such as podcasts and artificial intelligence. In a recent interview, he underlined how his spiritual path was a way to overcome the limits of ideologies, discovering that true freedom comes from faith in God and overcoming the sense of guilt, a belief that he considers fundamental for his mission of a preacher.
As a teacher and trainer, Pasolini continues to follow novices and lead spiritual meetings, retreat exercises and moments of pastoral accompaniment, intertwining faith and charity to offer society and the Church a lively and current vision of Christian spirituality.
