Luigi Dossena

Luigi Dossena was born in Campagnola Cremasca, Italy, on 28 May 1925. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Crema on 25 March 1951.

To prepare for a diplomatic career, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1953.^[1] His early assignments in the diplomatic service include a stint in the Dominican Republic.^[2]

On 27 February 1973, Pope Paul VI appointed him a titular archbishop and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Korea.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration on 25 March 1973 from Cardinal Jean-Marie Villot.

On 24 October 1978, Pope John Paul II named him Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Cape Verde, Niger, Senegal, and Upper Volta and also Apostolic Delegate to Mali, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania.^[4] His responsibilities changed as the Vatican reorganized its diplomatic presence in Africa. The posts of Pro-Nuncio to Upper Volta^[5] and to Niger^[6] were assigned to Justo Mullor García on 2 May and 25 August 1979. And Dossena's title in Mali was raised to Apostolic Pro-Nuncio on 3 June 1980.^[7]

On 30 December 1985, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Peru by Pope John Paul.^[8] Though viewed as more moderate than his predecessor Mario Tagliaferri, his took similar positions with respect to his role as nuncio and the Church's role in civic life.^[9] Some in the Church hierarchy in Peru complained he had excessive influence over episcopal appointments.^[10] He urged the Peruvian bishops to publicly support Mario Vargas Llosa in the 1990 presidential election.^[11]

On 2 March 1994, he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Slovakia.^[12]

His service as nuncio ended when he was replaced in Slovakia by Henryk Józef Nowacki on 8 February 2001.^[13]

He died on 9 September 2007.

• Catholic Hierarchy: Archbishop Luigi Dossena ^{[self-published]}