 After a vacancy of nearly thirty months, following the death of Bishop Angelo Zambarbieri, Pope Paul VI appointed Bishop Gilberto Baroni, who was already bishop of Reggio Emilia, to also be bishop of Guastalla.Bishop Baroni had been acting as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Guastalla during the "Sede vacante".On 30 September 1986, the diocese was suppressed by Pope John Paul II, and its territory and title merged into the Diocese of Reggio Emilia, with the new name of Reggio Emilia–Guastalla.