In Pace Christi

“In Africa the late Archbishop Romeo Panciroli, who received his education in the worthy Religious Institute of the Comboni Missionaries, was outstanding for his strong missionary spirit and his lovely concern for those dear peoples.” This central phrase from the homily of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, during the Requiem Mass in St. Peter’s, defines, perhaps, what was special in the life of our confrere: to be called to live the charism of St. Daniel Comboni in a very special way, at the service of the Holy See. He thus fulfilled a not unimportant aspect of the spirituality of the Founder: fidelity to the Holy Father and love for the Church.

Romeo was born at Codemondo, in the diocese of Reggio Emilia, on 21 November 1923. The first of nine children, he soon showed signs of unusual liveliness and sensitivity. While still very young he joined the junior seminary in Padova where he made his first years of studies, which he continued in Brescia. He was admitted to the novitiate in Florence on 7 October 1941 where his formator was the saintly Fr. Stefano Patroni. He took his first vows on 7 October 1943 and continued his studies in Verona, where our scholastics did their philosophical and theological training. He took perpetual vows on 24 September 1948 and was ordained priest in Milan by Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster.

When Fr. Panciroli was appointed to work in the editorial office of Nigrizia, Verona, Mgr. Sergio Pignedoli, who originated from the same region, soon requested that he worked for the central committee for the Holy Year (1950).

Afterwards he returned to Verona where some confreres still remember him as teacher of ethics and sociology in the scholasticate. Continuing to work for Nigrizia, and with the approval of Fr. Antonio Todesco, he started “Messis Film” and moved to Rome. In those days this was a ground-breaking initiative, which produced a few dozen documentaries and short films.

At the request of Mgr. Pignedoli, he was appointed to the Apostolic Delegation of Central and West Africa based in Lagos, Nigeria (1959-1964).

Returning to Rome, officially at the service of the Holy See, he became a member of the Pontifical Commission for Social Communications. He took an active part in the life and development of the Commission and was appointed under-secretary in January 1970. He travelled with Pope Paul VI on many of his pastoral and missionary journeys and on his own, visiting 54 countries in different continents. We can see how Providence wanted to give a certain Comboni tone and imprint to this privileged Petrine ministry.

In June of 1976 he was appointed Director of the Holy See Press Office, for a length of time that covered two “sede vacante” and two conclaves.

John Paul II, on 6 November 1984, raised him to the dignity of Archbishop and appointed him Pro-Nuncio to Liberia and Gambia and Apostolic Delegate to Guinea and Sierra Leone. From the results he achieved during these very busy years that he passed at the heart of the Church’s presence in Africa, it is apparent how important it had been for him the missionary formation he received in the spirit of St. Daniel Comboni. A more accurate and detailed account of that experience will show that there are moments of heroism even in the diplomatic service.

On 18 March 1992 he was appointed Pro-Nuncio Apostolic to the Islamic republic of Iran. Apart from the diplomatic work, he was very close to the “little flock” of Catholics present in that country. He ended his service on 20 March 1999. He returned to Rome and continued his work in various fields at the service of the Secretariat of State.

A study of the spiritual heritage he leaves us might begin from the comment that Cardinal Sodano made when he attributed one of the beatitudes to Mgr. Romeo’s life: “Blessed are the peacemakers. They shall be called sons of God” (Fr. Pietro Ravasio).

The funeral of Archbishop Romeo Panciroli took place in the Basilica of the Madonna della Ghiara, Reggio Emilia. The local bishop, Mgr. Adriano Caprioli, presided at the concelebration. The concelebrants were the bishop emeritus of Reggio Emilia, Mgr. Paolo Libertini, many diocesan priests and Comboni Missionaries.

Before the end of the celebration, Fr. Romeo Ballan, superior of the Mother House of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, gave a brief outline of the life of Mgr. Romeo, describing him as an exceptional missionary, a humble and quiet man who never sought the limelight, a faithful servant of the Gospel as he proclaimed the Church’s message of salvation to all peoples.

Mgr. Paolo Libertini blessed the coffin as a final farewell to our deceased confrere, a tireless worker in the vineyard of the Lord. He was then buried in the family tomb in the cemetery of San Polo d’Enzo.

Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, Dean Emeritus of the Sacred College, wrote on 8 March from Cotonou to Fr. Teresino Serra, Superior General: “Reverend Father General, The sad and unexpected news of the death of Mgr. Romeo Panciroli has been for me a cause of great sorrow. He was an old friend. I knew him when he was secretary to Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli, who was, like himself, from Reggio Emilia. He was an excellent Missionary Nuncio in various countries, especially in Africa. Please accept my most sincere condolences.

Let us pray for him, entrusting him to the Lord whom he served with the Holy See.”
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 232 suppl. In Memoriam, ottobre 2006, pp. 26-36.