Summary
Pope Leo XIII confirmed on Monday the membership of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, including two women appointed by Pope Francis—Sr. Simona Brambilla and Sr. Raffaella Petrini—and a third woman, María Lía Zervino, who previously held senior executive positions within the curia as head of the Vatican City State’s governing administration and prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, respectively. The appointment signals continuity with Pope Francis’ policy allowing lay people to serve in high-ranking Vatican offices. This comes after Cardinal Marc Ouellet’s article on March 10th emphasized the “ecclesiological advance” of including laity in senior governance roles. Ouellet, previously the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, argued that such appointments align with Church sacramental theology and ecclesiology, though their limits remain to be determined. The timing of Brambilla’s appointment alongside Ouellet’s article suggests a continued interest in expanding lay involvement in Church governance while maintaining theological integrity.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Ouellet, Lay governance
