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Educated at
Saint-Paul-Outside-the-Walls abbey, Rome from age 11. Entered the
Cassinese Benedictine monastic noviate in 1896, taking the name Ildefonso.
Made his formal monastic confession on 13 November 1900. Ordained on 19
March 1904 in Rome. Novice master of his house from 1908 to 1916. Prior of
the abbey from 1916 to 1918. Procurator general of Congregation of Monte
Cassino from 1914 to 1929. Abbot-ordinary of abbey nullius of
Saint-Paul-Outside-the-Walls on 6 April 1918. President of the Pontifical
Oriental Institute from 7 October 1919 to 4 July 1922, and teacher at
several colleges and institutes. Consulter to the Sacred Congregation of
Rites in the sections for the Liturgy and for the Causes of Saints. Censor
of the Academy of Sacred Liturgy. President of the Commission for Sacred
Art Apostolic Visitor to seminaries of Lombardy and Calabria. Appointed
Archbishop of Milan on 26 June 1929 by Pope Pius XI. Created cardinal on
15 July 1929. Papal legate to several events and congresses in Europe.
Participated in the conclave of 1939. Founded the Institute of Amrosian
Chant and Sacred Music and the Ambrosianeum and Didascaleion cultural
centres, and wrote for the daily publication L'Italia.
There was some controversy during the investigation of his Cause for
beatification as some people claimed he was sympathetic to Fascism.
Evidence, however, shows that he denounced Fascism's meddling with the
youth organization Catholic Action, refused to participate in ceremonies
involving Mussolini, and condemned racism legislation. The cardinal was
primarily concerned with the spiritual well-being of his flock, the
physical needs of the poor, assistance to newly married couples in order
to create strong marriages, and with the administration of the
Archdiocese.
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