Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster

The Blessed

Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster, O.S.B.
Cardinal Archbishop of Milan
Formal portrait, c. 1930
ChurchCatholic Church
ArchdioceseMilan
SeeMilan
Appointed26 June 1929
Term ended30 August 1954
PredecessorEugenio Tosi
SuccessorGiovanni Battista Montini
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti (1929–54)
Previous post(s)
Orders
Ordination19 March 1904
by Pietro Respighi
Consecration21 July 1929
by Pope Pius XI
Created cardinal15 July 1929
by Pope Pius XI
RankCardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born
Alfredo Ludovico Schuster

(1880-01-18)18 January 1880
Ospedale Santissimo Salvatore, Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Died30 August 1954(1954-08-30) (aged 74)
Archiepiscopal Seminary Pio XI, Venegono Inferiore, Varese, Italy
BuriedCathedral of Milan
Coat of armsAlfredo Ildefonso Schuster, O.S.B.'s coat of arms
Sainthood
Feast day30 August
Venerated inCatholic Church (Italy)
Beatified12 May 1996
Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City
by Pope John Paul II
Attributes
  • Pastoral staff
  • Cardinal's attire
PatronageArchdiocese of Milan
Ordination history of
Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byPietro Respighi
Date19 March 1904
PlaceLateran Basilica, Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorPope Pius XI
Co-consecratorsCarlo Cremonesi
Agostino Zampini
Date21 June 1929
PlaceSistine Chapel, Vatican City
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Pius XI
Date15 July 1929
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster as principal consecrator
Arcangelo Mazzotti, O.F.M.26 April 1931
Francesco Fulgenzio Lazzati, O.F.M.8 November 1931
Adriano Bernareggi24 January 1932
Giacinto Tredici, Obl.Ss.A.C.6 January 1934
Rodolfo Orler, F.S.C.J.7 February 1934
Gustavo Testa1 November 1934
Pietro Mozzanica, Ob.S.C.23 December 1934
Enrico Montalbetti, Obs.S.C.9 June 1935
Giovanni Luigi Marinoni, O.F.M. Cap.23 August 1936
Paolo Castiglioni7 February 1937
Domenico Grassi, P.I.M.E.1 May 1939
Norberto Perini30 November 1941
Ildebrando Vannucci, O.S.B.2 August 1942
Domenico Bernareggi29 July 1945
Egidio Bignamini2 December 1945
Giuseppe Obert, P.I.M.E.6 February 1949
Giovanni Battista Cesana, M.C.C.I.1 April 1951
Alfonso Beretta, P.I.M.E.8 April 1951
Vitale Bonifacio Bertoli, O.F.M.20 May 1951
Anacleto Cazzaniga19 March 1953
Costantino Caminada29 June 1953
Agostino Saba4 October 1953

Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster, O.S.B. (Italian pronunciation: [alˈfreːdo ildeˈfɔnso ʃˈʃuster],[1][2] German: [ˈʃuːstɐ]; born Alfredo Ludovico Schuster; 18 January 1880 – 30 August 1954) was an Italian Catholic prelate and professed member of the Benedictines who served as the Archbishop of Milan from 1929 until his death. He took the religious name of Ildefonso as a Benedictine monk and served as an abbot prior to his elevation to the cardinalate.[3]

He led the Milanese archdiocese during World War II and was known to have supported fascism at first. His views changed to opposition after the annexation of Austria and the introduction of Italian racial laws, which prompted vocal criticisms of anti-Christian aspects of Benito Mussolini's regime.[4]

Schuster's beatification was celebrated in mid-1996 in Saint Peter's Square.[3]

  1. ^ Luciano Canepari. "Alfredo". DiPI Online (in Italian). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  2. ^ Luciano Canepari. "Ildefonso". DiPI Online (in Italian). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Beato Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Schuster, Alfredo Ildefonso, Bl". New Catholic Encyclopedia. 2003. Retrieved 17 November 2017.