Archbishop Francesco Neri

Francesco Neri, O.F.M. Cap., was born on December 21, 1959, in Catanzaro, in the province and Archdiocese of the same name. He made his perpetual profession in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on October 7, 1990, and was ordained a priest on July 6, 1991. After earning a degree in Law, he also obtained a degree in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has held the following positions: Lecturer in Christology, Trinitarian Theology, and Theological Anthropology (since 1994); Director of the theological student house in Bari Santa Fara (1995–2006); Assistant to the diocesan section of the Union of Catholic Jurists (1998–2006); Provincial Vicar of the Capuchin Province of Puglia (2003–2006); Provincial Minister of the Capuchin Province of Puglia and President of the CISM (Italian Conference of Major Superiors) for the Puglia region (2006–2012); Member of the Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto (2007–2012); Vice-Dean of the Theological Faculty of Puglia (2012–2018); Director of the Theological Institute of Bari Santa Fara (2015–2017); Rector of the International College of San Lorenzo da Brindisi in Rome (2017–2018). Since 2018, he has served as a General Councilor of the Order in Rome. He has also been a member of the Joint Commission between the Episcopal Conference of Puglia and Institutes of Consecrated Life, Director of the magazine *Italia Francescana* (published by the Italian Conference of Capuchin Provincial Ministers), and local assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order and the Franciscan Youth. The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Otranto presented by H.E. Msgr. Donato Negro and has appointed Fr. Francesco Neri, O.F.M. Cap., as Archbishop of the same diocese. ...Cap., until now a General Councilor of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. H.E. Msgr. Francesco Neri, Archbishop of Otranto. Msgr. Neri was born on December 21, 1959, in Catanzaro, in the province and archdiocese of the same name. He made his perpetual profession in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on October 7, 1990, and was ordained a priest on July 6, 1991. After earning a degree in Law, he also obtained a degree in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has held the following positions: Lecturer in Christology, Trinitarian Theology, and Theological Anthropology (since 1994); Master of the theological student house in Bari Santa Fara (1995–2006); Assistant to the diocesan section of the Union of Catholic Jurists (1998–2006); Provincial Vicar of the Capuchin Province of Puglia (2003–2006); Provincial Minister of the Capuchin Province of Puglia and President of the CISM (Conference of Major Superiors of Italy) for the Puglia region (2006–2012); Member of the Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto (2007–2012); Vice-Dean of the Theological Faculty of Puglia (2012–2018); Director of the Theological Institute of Bari Santa Fara (2015–2017); Rector of the International College of St. Lawrence of Brindisi in Rome (2017–2018). Since 2018, he has served as a General Councilor of the Order in Rome. He has also been a member of the Joint Commission between the Episcopal Conference of Puglia and Consecrated Life, Director of the magazine *Italia Francescana* (published by the Italian Conference of Capuchin Provincial Ministers), and local assistant to the Secular Franciscan Order and the Franciscan Youth.