Pope Francis has named three women to the Dicastery of Bishops, the Vatican body responsible for overseeing the selection of new bishops.
They are the Salesian sister Yvonne Reungoat of France, Superior General of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco who in 2019 was appointed as one of the first seven female members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Italian Franciscan, Sister Rafaella Petrini. In November she was named the second highest ranking official of the Vatican City State, and among her first duties was inaugurating the Vatican's Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square, which came from Peru.
SR. RAFAELLA PETRINI
For me it is an honor and a joy to formally start my service as the secretary general of the Vatican City State on this occasion.
And laywoman Dr. Maria Lia Zervino, president of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations.
The group is responsible for submitting proposals of new bishops to the pope for approval, and now, for the first time, the voices of women will be included in forming them.
JM
