Pope names three women to Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis on Wednesday named three women to the Dicastery for Bishops, the first time women have been appointed to the Dicastery responsible for identifying future bishops globally.

The Holy See Press Office published the Pope's latest appointments to the Dicastery in a statement on Wednesday. 

The female members are Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State; Sister Yvonne Reungoat, F.M.A, former Superior General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians; and, Dr. Maria Lia Zervino, President of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations.

The nomination of Dr. Zervino also marks the first appointment ever of a laywoman to the Vatican Dicastery.

Full list of nominations

Here is the full list of the Pope's appointments as Dicastery members:

 - Cardinal Anders Arborelius, OCD, Bishop of Stockholm (Sweden)

 - Cardinal Jose F. Advincula, Archbishop of Manila (Philippines)

 - Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church

 - Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops

 - Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

 - Cardinal-elect Lazzaro You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy

 - Cardinal-elect Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille (France)

 - Cardinal-elect Oscar Cantoni, Bishop of Como (Italy)

 - Archbishop Dražen Kutleša, Archbishop of Split-Makarska (Croatia)

 - Bishop Paul Desmond Tighe, Secretary of the former Pontifical Council for Culture

 - Father Dom Donato Ogliari , OSB, Abbot of the Abbey of San Paolo fuori le Mura and Apostolic Administrator of the Territorial Abbey of Montecassino (Italy)

 - Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE, Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State

 - Sister Yvonne Reungoat, FMA, former Superior General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians

 - Doctor Maria Lia Zervino, President of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations