Archbishop of Pescara-Penne
Archbishop Tommaso Valentinetti, Archbishop of Pescara-Penne, was born on August 11, 1952, in Ortona, in the Archdiocese of Lanciano-Ortona. He completed his gymnasium and lyceum studies and his first year of theology at the San Pio X Pontifical Regional Seminary of Chieti. In October 1973 he was admitted to the Almo Collegio Capranica in Rome and enrolled in the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained a priest for Lanciano e Ortona on June 25, 1977. Going to Jerusalem to complete his studies as a student of the Pontifical Biblical Institute, he obtained a licentiate in sacred scripture there. In his archdiocese he served as parish priest of Cristo Re in the rural area of Ortona from 1980; parish priest of San Giuseppe (1981-1996); episcopal vicar for pastoral activities from 1986; and vicar general from 1987. He lectured in sacred scripture at the Pontifical Regional Seminary in Chieti from 1995, and was appointed parish priest of San Gabriele in Ortona (1996-2000). On March 25, 2000, he was appointed Bishop of Termoli-Larino. He received episcopal ordination on May 20, 2000, with Camillo Ruini as principal consecrator and Enzio d'Antonio and Armando Dini as co-consecrators. On November 4, 2005, he was appointed Archbishop of Pescara-Penne, and he was installed on December 19, 2005. He has served as vice-president of the Abruzzo-Molise Episcopal Conference and as president of Pax Christi.