Pope names women to bishops advisory committee for first time
(Corrects in para 3 that Zervino is Argentine, not Italian)
By Philip Pullella
(Reuters) -Pope Francis has named three girls, two nuns and a lay lady, to a beforehand all-male committee that advises him in deciding on the world’s bishops, the Vatican mentioned on Wednesday.
He had disclosed the choice in an unique interview with Reuters earlier this month, explaining he wished to offer girls extra senior and influential positions within the Holy See.
The three girls are sister Raffaella Petrini, an Italian who’s presently the deputy governor of the Vatican Metropolis, French nun Yvonne Reungoat, a former superior basic of a spiritual order, and an Argentine lay lady Maria Lia Zervino, president of the World Union of Catholic Ladies’s Organizations, UMOFC.
The three girls have been amongst 14 individuals appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops, which vets candidates and advises the pope on which monks ought to turn into bishops.
The opposite 11 appointed on Wednesday have been cardinals, bishops and monks.
Phrases final for 5 years. Earlier than Wednesday’s announcement of the 14 names, there have been greater than 20 members. The overall fluctuates as phrases expire however normally the committee numbers between about 25-30.
The method begins domestically the place bishops counsel to archbishops the names of monks they assume would make good bishops.
The listing then goes to the Vatican nuncio, or ambassador, in a rustic, who additional investigates the particular person and sends his suggestions to the Vatican.
The members of the committee, who come from around the globe, meet in Rome about twice a month and ship their suggestions to the pope, who makes the ultimate choice.
“This manner, issues are opening up a bit,” Francis mentioned within the July 2 interview with Reuters in his residence, when he disclosed his choice to call girls to the decision-making a part of the bishops division.
Other than Petrini, who as deputy governor is essentially the most highly effective lady on the earth’s smallest state, Francis has already named quite a few girls, each nuns and lay girls, to Vatican departments.
Final 12 months, he named Italian nun Sister Alessandra Smerilli to the quantity two place within the Vatican’s improvement workplace, which offers with justice and peace points.
As well as, Francis has named Nathalie Becquart, a French member of the Xaviere Missionary Sisters, as co-undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, which prepares main conferences of world bishops held each few years.
Lay girls already holding prime jobs within the Vatican embrace Barbara Jatta, the primary feminine director of the Vatican Museums, and Cristiane Murray, the deputy director of the Vatican Press Workplace. Each have been appointed by Francis.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella, enhancing by Giulia Segreti, Alexandra Hudson)
