The Italian Episcopal Conference is the episcopal conference of the Italian bishops of the Catholic Church and as such is the official assembly of all the bishops in Italy. The conference was founded in 1971 and carries out certain tasks as well as having authority assigned to setting the liturgical norms for the Mass. Episcopal conferences receive their authority under universal law or particular mandates. Its president as of 2007 is Angelo Bagnasco since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 March 2007.