Born at Ferrara, February 23, 1770, Antonio Pallotta studied at the seminary of Frascati and the Nazareno College. Admitted to the prelature, he held several offices in the Roman Curia before being made a cardinal on March 10, 1823. He died at Monte Cassiano (Macerata) on July 19, 1834.
He was a member of the Congregation for Bishops and Regulars in 1825-1826. He was a friend of Cardinal Pedicini, the ponent; Cardinal Pedicini appointed him the third member of the committee appointed to review approbation of the Rule. Father de Mazenod went to visit him only once. On February 11, he failed to enter the cardinal’s house because of his “wintry” servant. Three times he went to visit this “invisible” cardinal who was still in bed at noon and who was reluctant to let himself be seen in his “night cap.” For the third visit on February 12, the servant ceased telling him, “he will receive you on Tuesday.” (Letters to Father Tempier in Oblate Writings I, vol. 7, no. 223, p. 26-28)
Finally, on February 14, he was received on the eve of the meeting of the three cardinals. He was very satisfied with his reception. On February 16, he wrote to Father Tempier: “I think I told you that Cardinal Pallotta had put me off until Tuesday at ten o’clock. I went punctually to this appointment. I was introduced immediately into the apartment of his Eminence who received me with every sign of a most amiable politeness. He made excuses to me for having obliged me to return three times to his house, put the blame on his chamberlain, and showed me how pleased he was to make my acquaintance. He told me that although they had only given him two days to examine our affair, he had hastened to read the whole position from one end to the other; that he was very satisfied, but had made a few small observations that he was going to submit to me…” (Oblate Writings I, vol. 7, n. 224, p. 32)
In his letter to the Oblates on March 25, the Founder described Cardinal Pallotta as “of vigorous talent and remarkable erudition.”
Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i.
