Nun Raffaella Petrin enters the history of the state of Vatican. The appointment has already been confirmed by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis named the nun Raffaella Petrini as Governor of the State of Vatican Cityreturning-if a first woman To perform this position, which will start on March 1, the Vatican announced today.
The 56 -year -old Franciscan nun will replace in office the Spanish Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzagawhich is 80 years old on March 1, ceasing functions.
Raffaella Petrini will be the new president of the Governor of the State of Vatican, the higher position of the Vatican Civil Administrationafter being the “right arm” of Cardinal Vérgez for years.
The Pope had already announced in an interview a few weeks ago, the appointment of Raffaella Petrini, who will also be chairman of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican.
Francisco looks for a greater equality within the Church With this choice, after, in early January, he also named a woman, Simona Brambilla, as the first mayor ahead of the dicker for consecrated life.
Raffaella Petrini, a degree in Political Sciences from Guido Carli International Free University and PhD from the Pontifical University of São Tomás de Aquino, had the position of Secretary-General of Governanarrato since 2022 and will now succeed Cardinal Vergéz Alzaga.
At an audience last January, the Pope said that the “Clerical and macho” mentality In Curia, the government of the Catholic Church must be eliminated, and that “ nuns are ahead and know how to make it better than men”.
The Pope recalled that there is criticism that “there are not enough nuns in positions of responsibility, dioceses, curia and universities” and admitted that “it is true.”
“Thank God, nuns are ahead and know how to do it better than men. That’s it… because they have this ability to do things, women and nuns, ”he said.
The pontiff also said he had heard bishops say: “I would like to appoint nuns for some positions in the diocese, but superiors do not let them go‘”. No, please let them go, ”he said.
