Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S. Visits Benedictine College

Thursday, August 27, 2009

The Archbishop is the Holy See’s ambassador to the United States and is highly influential in the Vatican’s appointment of bishops within the United States. He serves as the representative of the Pope to both the Catholic Church in the United States and to the nation's civil government. In his own words, he is the “Pope's personal representative.” Bishops from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland and Brazil also attended the event, along with priests from throughout Kansas and Missouri.

Sambi was incardinated in the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro and ordained a priest on March 14, 1964. He was consecrated as Bishop and made Titular Archbishop of Belcastro on November 9, 1985. He has Doctorates in Sacred Theology and in Canon Law and speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish.

He started his service in the Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See in April, 1969, in Cameroon and has had extensive international experience in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. He has been the Papal Nuncio to the United States since 2005. According to the Catholic News Agency, Sambi has a reputation of being “a courageous, uncompromising voice for peace.”

Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is proud to have been named one of the Top 20 Catholic colleges in the nation as well as one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report. It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. It has a mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, visited Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. He concelebrated Mass with Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas at St. Benedict’s Abbey Church and, following Mass, delivered the keynote address during the school's Academic Convocation. More than 800 attended the Convocation in the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium and heard his message about unity and the importance of the Holy Land to Christians.