Pope Francis has historically appointed three women (two nuns and a laywoman) to be his advisers in the selection of the world bishops, according to the Vatican on Wednesday.
The Pope revealed in an interview that he made the decision to select an all-female committee so as to give women more senior and influential positions in the Holy See.
The three women appointed are, sister Raffaella Petrini, an Italian who currently serves as the deputy governor of the Vatican City; Yvonne Reungoat who is a French nun and formerly a superior general of a religious order; and Italian laywoman, Maria Lia Zervino, president of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations, UMOFC.
The appointed women were also among a list of 14 people appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops, to vet candidates and advise the pope on the selection of bishops. The other 11 appointed were cardinals, bishops, and priests.
The terms last for five years according to the Vatican, and there were over 20 members before the announcement on Wednesday. The total number of members fluctuates as members finish their terms but the committee is usually made up of 25 to 30 members.
The Vatican said the process begins locally where bishops recommend to archbishops the names of priests they think would be good bishops.
The list then passes to the Vatican nuncio, or ambassador, in a country, who further investigates the nominees and sends his recommendations to the Vatican.
The members of the committee from different parts of the world assemble in Rome about twice a month and send their recommendations to the pope who makes the final selection.
Besides Ms. Petrini who happens to be the most powerful woman in the world’s smallest country as a deputy governor, Pope Francis had named a handful of women, including nuns and laywomen, to Vatican departments.
Last year the pope named Italian nun Sister Alessandra Smerilli to serve at the number two position in the Vatican’s development office, which handles justice and peace matters.
He also named Nathalie Bacquart, a French member of the Xaviere Missionary Sisters, as co-undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, which arranges major meetings of world bishops held every few years.
Other laywomen appointed by the pope to handle top jobs in the Vatican include Barbara Jatta, the first female director of the Vatican Museums, and Cristiane Murray, who serves as the deputy director of the Vatican Press Office.
