Prospero Caterini

Prospero Caterini (* October 15, 1795 in Onano at Viterbo, † October 28, 1881 in Rome ) was a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

Life

Prospero Caterini descended from a noble family and was about his mother Maria Domenica Pacelli and Pope Pius XII. related. He studied in Rome. When he was ordained a priest, is not known. Also about his past activities we know nothing. In 1841 he was auditor, in November 1845 a canon and employees of the Holy Office.

Pope Pius IX. took him in the consistory of 7 March 1853 in the College of Cardinals. After the consistory, Cardinal Caterini was a member of several congregations, including the Congregation De Propaganda Fide. He was a member since 1852 of a Commission to which the condemnation of the "most important errors of our time ," as Pius IX. called it, worked. From 1860-1881 Caterini was Prefect of the Congregation Council. In 1867 he was also President of the Commission of Cardinals who met the preparations for the First Vatican Council. In this capacity two years later he took part in the Council. The end of the Papal States in 1870 hit him particularly because he was an opponent of united Italy.

From 1876 he was a cardinal deacon in charge as Secretary of the Holy Office for questions of faith. As one of the oldest cardinals of the 83 -year-old Caterini after the death of Pius IX. the conclave in 1878 in part. In his capacity as a cardinal deacon, he announced to the public the election of Leo XIII. , But he could not crown the new pope, as a disease overtook him. Three years later he died at the age of 86 years in Rome.

Positions

Prospero Caterini was a very conservative oriented cardinal. He was among the strongest supporters of papal infallibility and was adamant against liberal tendencies. Cardinal Caterini also blocked every attempt at reconciliation between Pius IX. and the State of Italy. 1848 he was also forced to go into exile in Gaeta, together with the Pope by this attitude. Only in 1850 could Caterini return to Rome.