[7] In 1574, Pope Gregory XIII, a fellow citizen of Bologna, called him to Rome and named him a protonotary apostolic and Referendary of the Two Signatures.
As he attempted to begin to do so in 1580, he was met by strong reactions from Doge Nicolò da Ponte and from the Venetian Senate, who complained to the pope, who was forced to relent.
[9] In his report to the Pope at the conclusion of his Nunciature, Bolognetti gave particular attention to the Inquisition in Venice, which, in his view, was concentrating mostly on people using incantations[10] and Jews who were only nominally converting to Catholicism—in other words, policing undesirables rather than combatting heresy.
The Pope has lately sent to the Signiory of Venice to have certain of his ministers visit the schools and other places, for enquiry and reformation in matters of religion.
Bolognetti was immediately appointed Papal Nuncio for Gregory XIII to King Stephen Báthory in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Numbers of both high and low clergy had gone over to Protestantism,[16] some even to atheism, and unworthy persons had been appointed to church offices at all levels.
Only Stanislas Hosius (Hozjusz) was already fighting enthusiastically and doggedly for the Catholic faith and the teachings of the Council of Trent.
They opened a college in Wilno (Vilnius), which was granted the same privileges and rights as the University of Cracow by King Stephen and by Pope Gregory XIII (29 October 1579).
[19] In 1582, Bolognetti also persuaded King Stephen to apply the Bull of Gregory XIII which instituted the Gregorian Calendar in October 1582.
In 1583, Rome had been made aware that Spanish agents were active in Poland, buying grain and other commodities apparently, for provisioning their armies in the Netherlands and in Spain.
Bolognetti, already well-informed on the matters, replied quickly, on 11 June, with detailed information about the navigability of the Vistula, what lands it gave access to and what was the fertility of the land and its products, the circulation and value of money, Polish naval capacities and trade with Flanders, the port of Danzig (where the English heretics had considerable influence), etc.
In its pride at Cardinal Alberto's elevation, the Senate of Bologna granted him an annual pension of 500 gold scudi.