Romolo Carboni

Romolo Carboni was born on 9 May 1911 in Fano, Italy. He was ordained a priest on 31 March 1934.

To prepare for a diplomatic career, he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1934.^[1] He joined the diplomatic service on 15 September 1937.^{[citation needed]} His early assignments included postings in Haiti, the United States, and in Rome from 1945 to 1953.^[2]

On 28 September 1953, Pope Pius XII named him titular archbishop of Sidon and Apostolic Delegate to Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration on 25 October 1953 from Cardinal Pietro Fumasoni Biondi.^{[citation needed]} In 1961, a collection of speeches he gave while in this post was published in English as An Apostolic Delegate Speaks, with a book jacket that said "An alert, progressive Catholic archbishop speaks his mind".^[4] He was a forceful orator and fluent in English. In Australia, he was a very public advocate for lay Catholic political organisations,^[2] a position opposed by the Australian bishops. One study draws a negative picture of Carboni's status: "It is not clear that Carboni was well regarded in the Vatican.... It seems that Carboni's apparent self-promotion upset some of his clerical colleagues.... Carboni was not a big hitter in Rome." The Vatican ultimately rejected his position.^[5]

On 2 September 1959, Pope John XXIII named him Apostolic Nuncio to Peru.^[6] His support for political and Church conservatives proved controversial.^[7]

On 23 April 1969, Pope Paul VI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Italy.^[8]

He retired upon the appointment of his successor, Luigi Poggi, on 19 April 1986.^[9]

He died on 2 September 1999.^[10]

• Catholic Hierarchy: Archbishop Romolo Carboni ^{[self-published]}