Cantoni was born in Lenno on 1 September 1950 and had moved with his family to the nearby village, Tremezzo, at the age of eight. In 1970, after studies at the Pontificio Collegio Gallio founded by the Somaschi Fathers, he entered the diocesan seminary in order to receive specific theological preparation. In 1975, Cantoni was ordained a priest in the province of Como by bishop Teresio Ferraroni. Until 1982 he performed pastoral activity in the parish of Santa Maria Regina in Muggiò, and was later dedicated to teaching of religion at the technical institute of 'Pliny Como'. On 11 July 2000 he was awarded the title of Honorary Prelate of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II. In 2003, all previous assignments were terminated due to Cantoni being appointed as an episcopal vicar for clergy.
Episcopal Ministry
appointed him Bishop of Crema on 25 January 2005. Cantoni was given a delegation of the Bishops' Conference of Lombardy for consecrated life and became part of the homologous episcopal commission of the CEI. He was also nominated a pastoral visit to all Italian seminars on 16 June 2005. On 12 October 2007, Cantoni had had his first pastoral visit and was given the permission to perform in all parishes of his diocese. The permission terminated in 2011. In 2009, after two years of intensive preparatory work in Uni-Crema, 'the free university for adulthood', he 'contributed to the promotion of cultural and social citizenship' in the groove of 'Christian humanism and Christian tradition'. In September 2010 he became the first bishop in Italy to organize and launch a 'youth mission' diocesan, a peaceful invasion of 'minstrels of God' in order to communicate His friendship and His benison not only in churches but in nightclubs, theatres, through sport, etc. At the end of his pastoral visit, in 2011, he organized an ecclesial assembly 'in order to prepare our Church to face the times ahead,' open to all different parts of the diocese: priests, associations and groups and individual believers. It was characterized by a public discussion that takes place on three evenings, from 17 to 19 March with its closing on 10 April. On 21 November 2010 he received the insignia of Grand Officer of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and was appointed the Grand Prior of the Lieutenancy for Northern Italy by decree of Cardinal John Patrick Foley, the grand master of the order. On 4 October 2016, Pope Francis named Cantoni Bishop of Como.
