Titular Bishop of Mauricastro
Born in Valletta, Annetto was the fifth son of Sir Vincent Casolani, a high-ranking government official and Antonia née Mamo. He studied theology at the UM and continued his studies at the Seminario Romano, in Rome, where he obtained his doctorate in divinity at a very early age.
Casolani was appointed a canon of the cathedral chapter (1831) and cantor (1837). In 1839 he pursued further studies in theology and oriental languages at the Collegio Urban.
On 24 May 1846 Casolani was consecrated titular bishop of Mauricastro, by Cardinal Fransone at the office of Propaganda Fide and appointed apostolic vicar of Central Africa.
Early in 1847, Casolani led a mission to central Africa, accompanied by the Jesuit fathers Maximillian Ryllo, Ignatz Knoblechu, and W. Reintheler. They reached as far as the Nile Valley and tracked to Khartoum in 1848.
When in November 1847 bishop F.S. Caruana* died, he was succeeded by his auxiliary, Mgr Publius Sant*, while Mgr Casolani was nominated auxiliary bishop and stayed up till 1866.
In 1848 Casolani returned to Rome, visiting London in 1850. On his return to Malta, he took an active part in politics. In 1849, after the grant of Malta’s first constitution he was returned to the partially-elective council of government in August 1849.
Casolani, who had a considerable private fortune, evolved a scheme for the erection of bonding stores with extensive quays and wharfs, docks, shipbuilding yards, and other harbour facilities. He extended his projects by erecting 26 immense stores at Corradino point before proceeding to England to acquire the necessary machinery in 1859. The Admiralty then claimed the site for defence purposes and Casolani had to give in to the Admiralty following an offer of £50,000 for the stores which became property of the imperial government and which were converted into dockyard facilities.
In 1850 Casolani took a leading part in the debate on the criminal code and his insistence on the inclusion of the description of Roman Catholicism as the dominant religion of Malta caused the code to be refused by the royal sanction. He defended Constitutional rights and the full enjoyment of civil liberties with great ability and eloquence. He was returned with an increased majority at the 1854 elections, but the return of five ecclesiastics out of eight elected members, caused London to amend the constitution whereby priests and HM judges were debarred from contesting the elections.
Annetto Casolani died aged 51 years at his residence, 56 Zachary Street, Valletta and was buried in the Mdina Cathedral.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.