COLOMBIAN SINGER-SONGWRITER YEISON JIMÉNEZ DIED SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, IN A PLANE CRASH NEAR PAIPA, IN THE STATE OF BOYACÁ IN COLOMBIA. (PHOTO).
Pope Leo XIV has revised Vatican law to allow women and non-cardinals to lead the administration of Vatican City, following Pope Francis’ groundbreaking appointment of a woman to the role in November.
Francis appointed Italian Sister Raffaella Petrini, 52, as secretary-general of the Vatican governorate, making her the highest-ranking woman in the Vatican. However, her appointment faced legal complications under a 2023 law that restricted the position to cardinals. On Friday, Leo issued a motu proprio, a formal Vatican decree, updating the law to resolve the issue.
In her role, Petrini manages administrative functions including the Vatican museums, post office, budget oversight, health care, and police operations. Previously, she was excluded from presenting the city-state’s economic report to cardinals ahead of the May conclave because only cardinals were allowed in those meetings. The law change corrects that limitation.
Article 8 n. 1 of the Vatican’s Fundamental Law previously stated that the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State was “composed of Cardinals, including the President, and of other members appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year term.” The updated text now reads, “The Pontifical Commission is composed of Cardinals and of other members, including the President, appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year term,” allowing laypeople, both men and women, to serve as president.
Leo noted that the revision supports “shared responsibility” and addresses increasingly complex governance needs. The motu proprio was signed on Wednesday, published on Friday, and took effect immediately.
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