FONTANA, FRANCESCO LUIGI. — Cardinal, Barnabite, born at Casalmaggiore (Cremona) on 28 August 1750, died at Rome on 19 March 1822. He taught Latin and Greek literature in the colleges of Bologna and Milan, until in 1797 he was elected provincial of Lombardy. In this office he devoted himself to gathering all the documents necessary for the canonization of the founder; this won him the sympathy of Cardinal G. Gerdil, who in 1800 summoned him to Rome as consultor to the Congregations of Rites and of the Holy Office, and secretary of that of the Oriental Rites.
In 1804 he accompanied Pius VII as theologian to Paris for Napoleon’s coronation. In 1807 he was unanimously elected superior general of the Order. For having collaborated with Cardinal Di Pietro and Abbot Gregori in drafting the bull of excommunication against the Emperor (10 June 1809), he had to undergo harsh imprisonment at Vincennes (3 January 1811–April 1814), after which he was able to return to Rome, where he was created cardinal on 8 March 1816.
He left many literary writings, small in size but valuable; likewise, ascetical works inspired by great fortitude and composure. He published the complete edition of the works of Cardinal Gerdil, 16 vols., Rome 1806–1809; this was subsequently completed from XVII to XX by Fr. A. M. Grandi (ibid. 1816–21). F. prefaced vol. I with an «Elogio letterario» of Gerdil. Four volumes of Notizie degli scritti e della vita degli scrittori barnabiti remained in manuscript, a work of painstaking research that proved useful to subsequent studies on the same subject.