VATICAN (CNS/Vatican News): Pope Francis named three women to the Dicastery for Bishops, on Wednesday, July 13, Vatican News reported. This marks the first time women have been appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops, which identifies future bishops for dioceses around the world.
The female members are the secretary general of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, Sister Raffaella Petrini of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist; Salesian Sister Yvonne Reungoat, former superior general of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians [Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco]; and, Dr. Maria Lia Zervino, president of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations.
Just 10 days prior, in a July 2 interview with Reuters Vatican correspondent, Philip Pullella, Pope Francis said that he planned to name at least two women to the dicastery.
“This way, things are opening up a bit,” the pope said when asked about expanding the role of women in Church decision making.
The pope seemed to indicate the women would be members, not consultants or staff members, of the dicastery which currently has 17 cardinals and six bishops as members and two priests as consultants.
Preparing nominations for the office of bishops is a long, multistep process. For most Latin-rite dioceses that are not in mission territories, the process begins with bishops submitting to their local archbishop the names of priests they think would be good bishops; once a year the bishops of the province discuss the names submitted and forward recommendations to the nuncio.
The nuncio studies the lists, investigates further, solicits feedback from people who know the candidate and forwards his recommendations to the Dicastery for Bishops.
‘As heads of dicasteries,’ the pope continued, it is possible that women could lead the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, the Dicastery for Culture and Education or the Vatican Library, ‘which is almost a dicastery’
The prefect of the dicastery, currently Marc Cardinal Ouellet of Canada, can make recommendations directly to the pope about transferring a bishop from one diocese to another or to an archdiocese. But if the candidate is still a priest, the members of the dicastery must review the dossiers and vote on the names to recommend to the pope. Although many of the members do not live in Rome, they usually meet twice a month on Thursdays to deliberate.
The prefect presents the nominations to the pope, who makes the final decision.
Joseph Cardinal Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, the United States, who has been a member of the dicastery since March 2021, said, “The dicastery serves the Church by assisting the discernment of the Holy Father regarding the appointment of bishops. I would welcome the presence of women and other laity who could enrich significantly that discernment.”
Cardinal Tobin said, “As a member of the Council for the Economy, a body of the Roman Curia that includes eight cardinals and seven non-ordained people—six of whom are women—I can testify that the faith, experience and expertise of the lay members are real gifts to the governance of the Church.”
Pope Francis did not name the women he intends to nominate to the dicastery, nor did he say when they would be announced.
Depending on the nature of the dicastery, priests, deacons, those in institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life and lay faithful may also be appointed members
The pope’s new apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia said, “The dicastery deals with all matters concerning the appointment of diocesan and titular bishops, apostolic administrators and, in general, the provision of the particular Churches. It does so by considering the proposals presented by the particular Churches, the episcopal conferences and the papal representations, and after having consulted the executive officers of the respective episcopal conference and the metropolitan [archbishop].”
The document added, “In appropriate ways, it also engages in this process the members of the people of God of the dioceses in question.”
While the constitution opened almost all roles in the Roman Curia to lay people, it also reserved a special place for cardinals as the members of dicasteries.
“The members of curial institutions are appointed from among the cardinals living in Rome or outside the city, to whom are added some bishops, especially diocesan or eparchial ones, insofar as they have expertise in the particular matters involved,” it said. “Depending on the nature of the dicastery, priests, deacons, those in institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life and lay faithful may also be appointed members.”
‘I am open to giving [women] an opportunity’ to lead Vatican offices, noting, ‘There is now a woman deputy governor’ of Vatican City State, Sister Raffaella Petrini, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, whom he appointed in November
Pope Francis
Pope Francis told Reuters, “I am open to giving [women] an opportunity” to lead Vatican offices, noting, “There is now a woman deputy governor” of Vatican City State, Sister Raffaella Petrini, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, whom he appointed in November.
“As heads of dicasteries,” the pope continued, it is possible that women could lead the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, the Dicastery for Culture and Education or the Vatican Library, “which is almost a dicastery.”
While the current secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life is a priest, Kevin Cardinal Farrell, the two undersecretaries are women: Linda Ghisoni, who heads the section for laity; and Gabriella Gambino, who heads the section for family and life.
Cardinal Farrell told the Jesuit-run America Magazine in late June, “I believe I could be the last cleric in charge of this dicastery.”
Other female leaders at the Vatican include: Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums; Xavière Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops; Sister Carmen Ros Nortes, a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation, who serves as an undersecretary at the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; Natasa Govekar, director of the theological-pastoral department of the Dicastery for Communication; and Cristiane Murray, vice director of the Vatican press office.
