Archbishop Franco Moscone

The Pope has appointed Fr. Franco Moscone, C.R.S.—until now the Superior General of the Clerics Regular of Somasca—as Archbishop of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo. Fr. Moscone was born in Alba (in the province of Cuneo and the Diocese of Alba) on December 10, 1957. After completing his secondary education, he entered the seminary of the Ligurian-Piedmontese Province of the Clerics Regular of Somasca; he undertook his period of candidacy at the house in San Mauro Torinese, his novitiate in Somasca, his year of pastoral experience (*magisterium*) with the community of the Colegio San Fermín in Caldas de Reis (Spain), and his post-novitiate studies in Rome at the house of Sant’Alessio all’Aventino. He completed his theological studies in Rome at the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm, where he obtained a Baccalaureate degree. He made his perpetual profession on September 26, 1982, and was ordained a priest on June 16, 1984, in Alba. In 1983, he served as an animator for seminarians in San Mauro Torinese. In 1991, he earned a degree in Letters from the University of Turin. In 1992, he took on the role of teacher and animator for university students at the Collegio Emiliani in Genoa-Nervi. In 1995, he was sent to Toruń, Poland, to initiate the order's foundation in that country. On September 1, 1995, he became the Superior of the house in Toruń—a role in which he was confirmed in 1996 and 1999—as well as the Provincial Delegate for Poland, a position confirmed in 1998. In 2000, he was appointed Superior of the community at the Collegio Emiliani in Genoa-Nervi, a role confirmed in 2002. In 2002, he was elected Provincial Vicar of the Ligurian-Piedmontese Province. In 2005, he was elected Vicar General and First Councilor. In 2008, he was elected Superior General of the Congregation, and was re-elected in 2011 and 2017.