[2] On 23 December 1730 Giuseppe Pozzobonelli was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Milan by Cardinal Benedetto Erba Odescalchi, who was his spiritual father.

However he could formally take possession of Milan's diocese only eleven months later, on 21 June 1744, due to the late assent from Maria Theresa of Austria.

[1] Giuseppe Pozzobonelli took very seriously his service as bishop: he made pastoral visits to almost all areas of his large diocese, he often preached and personally conferred the sacraments.

He celebrated a Jubilee in 1751 whose main event was the translation of the body of Saint Charles Borromeo among the streets of the town.

[4] Due to these rifts and to his poor health on 19 March 1769 Pozzobonelli tendered his resignation, but Pope Clement XIII refused to free him from his duties as archbishop of Milan.