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Vatican City — Pope Francis said he wanted to give women a higher level of status in the Holy See and revealed that he would nominate women for the first time to the Vatican Commission, which was previously all male to help select bishops of the world.
The role of women in the Vatican hierarchy was one of many church and international topics discussed by the 85-year-old Pope in an exclusive interview with Reuters at the Vatican residence on July 2. ..
The new constitution for the Pope's central government, which came into force last month, allows all baptized Catholics, including congregational men and women, to lead most Vatican departments.
"I am open to giving (women) opportunities," he said in a 90-minute interview discussing the new constitution of the central government known as Curia. Said in part of. ..
He said last year that he was the first Governor of the Vatican City to nominate a woman in second place and made Sister Rafaela Petrini the highest woman in the world's smallest state.
"For the first time in the committee, two women are appointed to elect a bishop in the congregation for bishops," he said.
This unofficial move is very important as it is the first time that women have a say in the appointment of bishops of the world who are all men.
"Thus, things are a little open," he said.
New Constitution
Francis did not name women or mention when their appointments would be officially announced.
Members of the committee, currently composed of cardinals, bishops and priests, usually meet twice a month in Rome.
Last month, Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Mayor of the Bishops, Homes, and Life, could be the last priest to lead it in the promulgation of a new constitution. I joked that there was. Department. When asked which other Vatican departments are considered to be headed by men or women in general, Francis suggested that the Catholic Education and Culture Department and the Apostolic Library could be included. .. They are currently headed by a male priest.
Francis has already nominated many women, both nuns and ordinary women, in the Vatican department.
Last year he named the Italian nun Sister Alessandra Smerilli second in the Vatican's development office dealing with issues of justice and peace.
In addition, Francis nominates Natalie Becat, a French member of the Missionary Sisters of Xavier, as co-deputy secretary of the Episcopal Conference, which prepares for the major episcopal conferences of the world's bishops, which are held every few years. did.
Amateur women who already have top jobs in the Vatican include Barbara Jatta, the first female director of the Vatican Museums, and Cristiane Murray, the deputy director of the Vatican Press Office. .. Both were appointed by Francis. (Report by Philip Pullella, edited by Alex Richardson)
