FONTANA, FRANCESCO LUIGI. - Cardinal, Barnabite, b. at Casalmaggiore (Cremona) on 28 Aug. 1750, d. 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 occupied himself with gathering all the documents necessary for the canonization of the founder, which won him the sympathy of Cardinal G. Gerdil, who in 1800 summoned him to Rome as consultor of the Congregation of Rites and of the Holy Office and secretary of that of the Oriental Rites.
In 1804 he accompanied Pius VII to Paris as theologian for the coronation of Napoleon. In 1807 he was unanimously elected general of the Order. For having joined with Cardinal Di Pietro and Abbot Gregori in composing the bull of excommunication against the Emperor (10 June 1809), he had to endure a harsh imprisonment at Vincennes (3 Jan. 1811 - Apr. 1814), after which he was able to return to Rome, where on 8 March 1816 he was created cardinal.
He left many literary writings, small in size but of value; likewise ascetic opuscules inspired by fortitude and soberness; he published the complete edition of the works of Cardinal Gerdil, 16 vols., Rome 1806-1809, later completed from vol. XVII to XX by Fr. A. M. Grandi (ibid. 1816-21). F. prefaced vol. I with a « Elogio letterario » of Gerdil. There remained in manuscript 4 vols. of Notizie degli scritti e della vita degli scrittori barnabiti, a work of patient research that was of use to subsequent works on the same subject.
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