The role of women in the Vatican hierarchy was one of the many Church and international topics the 85-year-old pontiff discussed in an interview last Saturday.

A new constitution for the Holy See's central administration that came into effect last month allows any baptised Catholic, including lay men and women, to head most Vatican departments.

"For the first time, two women will be named to the Congregation of Bishops' commission that chooses bishops," Francis said.

"In this way, things are opening up a bit."

Francis did not specify who would be appointed to what is now called the Dicastery for Bishops or when these appointments would take place.

Until a few months ago, the idea of women being allowed to select bishops was unimaginable in the eyes of several senior Vatican officials.

Members of the committee, which is now made up cardinals, bishops and priests, usually meet twice a month in Rome.

They vet candidates to govern for roughly half of the world's dioceses, those in countries with a longstanding Christian presence.

The Dicastery for Evangelisation is responsible for dealing with bishops' appointments in places considered mission territory.

Both dicasteries generally examine the top three candidates the apostolic nuncio puts forth to lead a particular diocese. The members of each dicastery decide on one of them and the name is submitted to the pope for his consideration.

Last year, for the first time, Francis named a woman to the number two position in the governorship of Vatican City, making Sister Raffaella Petrini the highest-ranking woman in the city state.

Men or women could head Vatican departments like the department for Catholic Education and Culture and the Apostolic Library. They are currently headed by male clerics.

Francis has already named a number women, both nuns and lay women, to Vatican departments.

Last year, he named Italian nun Sister Alessandra Smerilli to the number two position in the Vatican's development office, which deals with justice and peace issues.

Lay women already holding top jobs in the Vatican include the first female director of the Vatican Museums and the deputy director of the Vatican Press Office. Both were appointed by Francis.

Source

• Reuters
• La Croix

He made the comment in the Vatican and at a meeting with the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.

Francis said the purpose of creating the dicastery is to promote the care of family and the mission on the laity, not to clericalise laity.

"So many times it happened in the other diocese [Buenos Aires], a parish priest came and told me: ‘I have a wonderful layperson, he knows how to do everything, everything. Do we make him a deacon?'"

Francis lamented that too often he sees permanent deacons become "first-class altar boys or second-class priests" rather than "custodians of service."

He also said the Church needs to move forward, without fear, in introducing more women in leadership positions at the Vatican, including as heads of dicasteries.

"We must move forward to include women in advisory positions, also in government, without fear," he told the meeting.

"Yes, of course, also as heads of dicasteries," the pope said, adding that he had considered two women for the appointment last week of the new prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy for which Francis ultimately selected Spanish Jesuit Fr. Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves.

"Women's advice is very important."

"The role of women in (an) ecclesial organization, in the Church, goes further and we must work on this as well because a woman is the image of ‘Mother Church", he said.

Francis noted the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life had two under-secretaries in their leadership, both married with children.

Francis told the dicastery their role was to move beyond the local and feel the heart of the universal church.

"The dicastery of which you are a part should, above all else, help the many disciples of Christ to live in daily life in conformity with the baptismal grace they have received," he said.

"There are so many lay faithful in the world who, living their faith with humility and sincerity, become great lights for those who live next to them," Pope Francis said.

• Source: CNA