He was Nunciature Secretary for the Apostolic Delegation in Mexico and for the Apostolic Nunciatures in Japan, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. He worked at the Secretariat of State for the Public Affairs Council and he was Secretary at the Iustitia et Pax Papal Committee. He was appointed Archbishop of Tuscania and was Apostolic Delegate in the Solomon Islands and Papal Nuncio in New Guinea, Honduras, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Jerusalem, Palestine, Jordan, Israel and Cyprus. He was Papal Nuncio in Italy and San Marino Republic (1998-2001). In June 2005, Benedetto XVI named him Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls and Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Portico in March 2006. Since becoming Archpriest, with the collaboration of the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint Paul, he has been carrying out important architectural works and restorations to better serve all the faithful and pilgrims who come from various parts of the world to the Basilica.