VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has recruited two women to former Vatican-only Vatican positions, in backward movements empowering women in the Holy See with men.
He appointed Nathalie Becquart, a French member of the Xaviere Missionary Sisters, on Saturday as a co-subscriber to the Assembly of Bishops, a department that prepares major meetings of the world’s bishops to be held every few years on a different topic.
The day before, Italian Italian magistrate named Catia Summaria as the first woman to promote justice in the Vatican Court of Appeals.
Becquart ‘s position, effectively a joint two, will give her the right to vote in all male assemblies, something that many women and some bishops have demanded. She is 52, relatively young by Vatican standards.
Women have in the past merged as observers and advisers in an assembly but only “assembly fathers”, including bishops and male representatives who have been appointed or elected to in particular, voting on final documents sent to the pope.
During an assembly in 2018, more than 10,000 people signed a petition calling for women to vote.
“A door has opened.” We will see what further steps can be taken in the future, ”said Senate General Secretary Cardinal Mario Grech, on the official Vatican News website.
While maintaining the Church’s tradition of banning female priests, Francis has set up commissions to study the history of deacon women in the early centuries of the Catholic Church, responding to calls from women that they are allowed to take the job today.
Last year, in one fall, Francis appointed six women to senior positions in the council in charge of Vatican finance.
He has also appointed women deputy foreign minister, director of the Vatican Museums and deputy head of the Vatican Media Office.
Reciting with Philip Pullella; Edited by Frances Kerry