Pope appoints women in Vatican Dicastery for bishops for the first time

Woower Echo July 22, 2022

In a revolutionary step, Pope Francis appointed three women to the hitherto all-male Vatican committee that appraises bishop nominations. Italian nun Raffaella Petrini, French nun Yvonne Reungoat and Argentine layman Maria Lia Zervino are the three women selected by Pope. 

The appointments come in accordance with the Pope’s decision to include more women in highly influential positions. Italian nun Raffaella Petrini is currently the deputy governor of Vatican City. Sr. Yvonne Reungoat is a former superior general of the religious order by the name of Daughters of Mary, the Helper, popularly known as the Salesian Sisters. Maria Lia Zervino is the president of a Catholic women’s umbrella group named the World  Union of Female Catholic Organisations. 

Apart from the three women, the present dicastery of 14 members includes cardinals, bishops and priests. The term of the incumbent committee lasts for five years.

The nomination process begins with the current bishops recommending the names of eligible priests to the archbishops. The archbishops send the list to the Vatican ambassador. The ambassador evaluates the list and sends the names to the Vatican committee. The Vatican committee meets twice a month to weigh the recommended names and then forwards them to the Pope. The final decision-making power rests with the Pope. 

In an interview with Reuters, the Pope expressed his willingness to include women in the dicastery for bishops. The Pope has already brought radical changes by appointing women to higher positions in the Vatican state.

 Last year, he appointed an Italian nun Alessandra Smerilli as interim secretary to the Vatican dicastery for human development. She was also given additional responsibility as a delegate to the Vatican Covid-19 Commission. The Pope also designated French religious sister Nathalie Becquart as the co-undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops.

Laywomen are also getting due importance under the rule of Pipe Francis. Barbara Jatta made history as the first female director of the Vatican museums. Another laywoman Cristiane Murray holds the top position as the deputy director of the Vatican Press Office.

Categories: News
Woower Echo
As a content writer, my objective is to create engaging and informative content. I strive hard to keep my writing concise and easy to read, enabling a broad audience to understand my piece of writing with ease. My career has spanned many years, and I'm still seeking to improve my writing skills. I am grateful to have received an opportunity to work with Woower, an app designed to promote women's empowerment. It permitted me to delve deep into the various problems women, especially working women, encounter. It is my great pleasure to do my bit to assist women in rejoining the workforce after a career break and helping them stand on their own two feet.

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