Cardinal Giuseppe Maria Sensi was born at Cosenza (Italy) on 27 May 1907, the sixth of 10 children.
He studied at the Lateran University where he acquired a licentiate in philosophy and doctorates in theology and canon law. He was then ordained priest on 21 December 1929.
Shortly afterwards, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See and from 1934 onwards he served successively in the nunciatures of Bucharest, Berne, Brussels and Prague. In 1949 he was recalled to the Secretariat of State where he dealt with affairs of the International Catholic Organizations and was named permanent observer of the Holy See at UNESCO.
On 21 May 1955 he was promoted to the titular archiepiscopal see of Sardes and received episcopal ordination on 24 July 1955. He was then sent as nuncio to Costa Rica and in the following year was appointed apostolic delegate in Jerusalem. In 1962 he was transferred as nuncio to Dublin where he served until 1967 when he was appointed nnuncio to Portugal.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Paul VI in the Consistory of 24 May 1976. Deaconry of of Ss. Biagio e Carlo ai Catinari (then, title of Regina Apostolurum).

Cardinal Giuseppe Maria Sensi died on 26 July 2001.