Dino Staffa

His Eminence

Dino Staffa
Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
Dino Staffa (between 1960 and 1970)
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
Appointed26 March 1969
Term ended7 August 1977
PredecessorFrancesco Roberti
SuccessorPericle Felici
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1976–77)
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination25 May 1929
by Paolino Giovanni Tribbioli
Consecration28 October 1960
by Pope John XXIII
Created cardinal26 June 1967
by Pope Paul VI
RankCardinal-priest
Personal details
Born
Dino Staffa

14 August 1906
Santa Maria in Fabriago, Imola, Kingdom of Italy
Died7 August 1977(1977-08-07) (aged 70)
Rome, Italy
ParentsDomenico Staffa
Emilia Gualandi
Alma materPontifical Roman Athenaeum Saint Apollinare
MottoLex Tua lux mea
Styles of
Dino Staffa
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
Seenone

Dino Staffa (14 August 1906 – 7 August 1977) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as prefect of the Apostolic Signatura from 1967 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.

Biography

Early life and ordination

Dino Staffa was born in Santa Maria in Fabriago, Lugo, to Domenico and Emilia (née Gualandi) Staffa. He studied at the seminary in Imola from 1917 to 1922, and then entered the Pontifical Regional Seminary of Bologna, where the future Marcello Cardinal Mimmi was rector. After earning his doctorate in theology, Staffa was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Paolino Tribbioli, OFM Cap, on 25 May 1929.

Pastoral work

He then did pastoral work in Imola until 1931, and furthered his studies at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum Saint Apollinare in Rome, from where he obtained a doctorate in canon and civil law in 1933. While performing pastoral ministry in Rome from 1933 to 1950, Staffa was raised to the rank of privy chamberlain of his holiness on 4 January 1936.

Curial work

He taught history of canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University from 1941 to 1944, when he was made auditor of the Roman Rota in the Roman Curia on 20 November. Staffa was named secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities on 18 December 1958. In this position, he would serve as the second-highest official of that dicastery, under Cardinal Giuseppe Pizzardo.

Archbishop

On 3 September 1960 Staffa was appointed Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Palaestina in association with his post as secretary of Seminaries and Universities. He received his episcopal consecration on the following 28 October from Pope John XXIII, with Archbishop Diego Venini and Bishop Benigno Carrara serving as co-consecrators, in St. Peter's Basilica. From 1962 to 1965, Staffa attended the Second Vatican Council.

Cardinal

Pope Paul VI, whose reign Staffa predicted to be "truly great",[1] later named him as pro-prefect of the Apostolic Signatura on 7 April 1967, and created him cardinal priest of S. Cuore di Cristo Re in the consistory of 26 June 1967.

Staffa became full prefect of the Apostolic Signatura on 26 March 1969. In 1972, the cardinal lowered the high costs involved in receiving an annulment from the Roman Rota.[2]

Staffa was made cardinal priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva on 24 May 1976 and later died in Rome seven days short of his 71st birthday. He was buried in his family's tomb in Massa Lombarda.

Views

Catholic universities

The archbishop was believed to have written a decree issued by his congregation on 25 May 1963 that demanded that Catholic universities receive the Vatican's approval before awarding honorary degrees.[3]

Hans Küng

After Saint Louis University in the US state of Missouri granted an honorary doctorate of laws to the liberal theologian Hans Küng, Staffa claimed that Catholic universities had been giving out several honorary degrees to those "not worthy of merit". He also said that "there are many periti of the Council who speak stupidities" and that "if we give honorary doctorates to him, it would seem that we approve his ideas".[3]

Collegiality

Not overly supportive of collegiality, Staffa once declared that "supreme power over the entire flock of the faithful was entrusted to Peter and Peter alone".[4]

References

  1. ^ "Reluctant Revolutionary". Time. September 24, 1965.
  2. ^ "Rota Revolt". Time. November 13, 1972.
  3. ^ a b "Clear It with the Vatican". Time. September 20, 1963.
  4. ^ "Council on the Move". Time. November 8, 1963.
Preceded by Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities
1958–1967 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
1967–1977 		Succeeded by