Camillo Ballin

His Excellency Camillo Ballin MCCJ
Emeritus Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia
Church	Catholic Church
Diocese	Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia
In office	2005 to 2020
Predecessor	Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, OCD
Successor	Aldo Berardi, OSST
Previous post(s)	Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait
Orders
Ordination	30 March 1969
Consecration	2 October 2005 by Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe
Personal details
Born	(1944-06-24)24 June 1944 Padua, Italy
Died	12 April 2020(2020-04-12) (aged 75) Rome, Italy
Nationality	Italian & Bahraini
Denomination	Catholic
Residence	Bishop's House, Awali Bahrain
Motto	IN VERBO TUO
Coat of arms

Camillo Ballin (June 24, 1944 – April 12, 2020) was an Italian-Bahraini Catholic bishop, writer, missionary, and educator who was the Vicar Apostolic of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia.

Family and early life

Camillo Ballin, son of Lucia and Angelo Ballin, was born in Fontaniva, Italy on June 24, 1944. He died on 12 April 2020. [1]

Career

Ballin was ordained Priest of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus on March 30, 1969.[1]

Ballin began his priestly apostle in St. Joseph parish in Cairo in 1971, and then he served as Parish Priest from 1972 to 1977. From 1977 to 1980, Ballin was located first in Kaslik, in Lebanon, and then Pontificio Instituto Orientale, in Rome, for his Licentiate in Oriental liturgy. He was a professor at the Institute of Theology in Cairo from 1981 to 1990.

In 1990, Ballin moved to Sudan and founded a training institute for religion teachers. From 1997 to 2000, Ballin returned to Rome for his doctorate on the Church history. In 2000, he was appointed Director of the Dar Comboni Center of Arab and Islamic Studies in Cairo, Egypt.

On July 14, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Ballin as the Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait.[1]

Publications

In 2004, Ballin published "The Ways of the Spirit" and "History of the Church" in Arabic.[1]

Catholic Unity Congress

The Catholic Unity Congress was established in 2008 by the Pastoral Council at the Holy Family Cathedral in Kuwait City and led by Ballin as the head of the Catholic Church in Kuwait. The mission of the conference is to increase awareness that all Catholic groups "are one and united with the Lord."[2]

Later life

Ballin resided in Awali in the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Persian Gulf.

Death

Ballin died in Rome in the evening of Easter Sunday (12 April 2020). He was undergoing treatment in Rome at the Gemelli Polyclinic since the last two months following diagnosis with lung cancer. During this period, the bishops of the Latin Conference of the Arab Regions (CELRA) were able to visit him and spend a few moments with him as they convened in Rome from 17–20 February 2020 for their 70th Plenary assembly.[3]

References

1. "Biography: HIS LORDSHIP BISHOP CAMILLO BALLIN, MCCI". The Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait website. The Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait. 1999–2010. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
2. Garcia, Ben (13 November 2009). "Kuwait: Cathedral Concludes 'Catholic Unity Congress'". Friday Times. Shuwaikh, Kuwait: Kuwait Times. Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
3. "Bishop Camillo Ballin MCCJ (24.06.1944 - 12.04.2020) passes away". Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia. Retrieved 2020-04-19.

Further reading

• EWTN Interview with Bishop Camillo Ballin -- Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia March 5, 2014
• Interview with H.E. Mgr Camillo Ballin. May 2009. Oasis. Accessed on 22 April 2010.
• Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, OCD	Apostolic Vicar of Kuwait 14 July 14 2005 to 31 May 2011	Succeeded by Position Dissolved
Preceded by Position Established	Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia 31 May 2011 to 12 April 2020	Succeeded by Paul Hinder, OFMCap (as Apostolic Administrator) Aldo Berardi, OSsT (as Apostolic Vicar)