Roman Catholic Cardinal. Caronno Pertusella born Giovanni Umberto Colombo was the sixth of seven children born to Enrico Colombo and Luigia Millefanti. Receiving his early education under the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Ivrea and successively at the seminaries of Seveso, Monza and Milan and the latter city's Catholic University, he was ordained priest by Cardinal Eugenio Tosi O.SS.C.A., on May 29, 1926. Named professor of letters at the Seveso's seminary in October of that same year, he went on the teach Italian at the seminary of Venegono Inferiore, where he later taught sacred eloquence and of which he ultimately served as rector between 1939 and 1953. Professor of Italian language and literature at the faculties of education and of letters and philosophy of the Catholic University of Sacro Cuore of Milan from 1937 till 1939, Colombo was raised to the rank of Monsignor on December 7, 1948 and named rector major of the seminaries of Milan on July 23, 1953. It was he that on August 30, 1954, administered extreme unction to Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster OSB., Archbishop of Milan, who would be beatified in 1991. Appointed auxiliary for the see of Milan on October 25, 1960, he received his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Philippopolis in Arabia on the following December 7 from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan. When the latter was elected Pope Paul VI, he chose him to succeed him as archbishop of the metropolitan see of Milan on August 10, 1963 and successively created him cardinal priest with the title of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti in the consistory of February 22, 1965. A renowned scholar and educator, known for his vast cultural knowledge, he remains hailed as a an austere giant of spirituality and one of the highest figures of the Milanese Church. Retiring from the pastoral government of his see on December 29, 1979, the Cardinal died in Milan inside the seminary of Corso Venezia which was restored thanks to his personal interest and in which he resided following his retirement.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. Caronno Pertusella born Giovanni Umberto Colombo was the sixth of seven children born to Enrico Colombo and Luigia Millefanti. Receiving his early education under the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Ivrea and successively at the seminaries of Seveso, Monza and Milan and the latter city's Catholic University, he was ordained priest by Cardinal Eugenio Tosi O.SS.C.A., on May 29, 1926. Named professor of letters at the Seveso's seminary in October of that same year, he went on the teach Italian at the seminary of Venegono Inferiore, where he later taught sacred eloquence and of which he ultimately served as rector between 1939 and 1953. Professor of Italian language and literature at the faculties of education and of letters and philosophy of the Catholic University of Sacro Cuore of Milan from 1937 till 1939, Colombo was raised to the rank of Monsignor on December 7, 1948 and named rector major of the seminaries of Milan on July 23, 1953. It was he that on August 30, 1954, administered extreme unction to Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster OSB., Archbishop of Milan, who would be beatified in 1991. Appointed auxiliary for the see of Milan on October 25, 1960, he received his episcopal consecration with the titular see of Philippopolis in Arabia on the following December 7 from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan. When the latter was elected Pope Paul VI, he chose him to succeed him as archbishop of the metropolitan see of Milan on August 10, 1963 and successively created him cardinal priest with the title of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti in the consistory of February 22, 1965. A renowned scholar and educator, known for his vast cultural knowledge, he remains hailed as a an austere giant of spirituality and one of the highest figures of the Milanese Church. Retiring from the pastoral government of his see on December 29, 1979, the Cardinal died in Milan inside the seminary of Corso Venezia which was restored thanks to his personal interest and in which he resided following his retirement.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
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