Raffaella Petrini Becomes Governor of Vatican City

Rev. James Martin talked about Pope Francis, a fellow Jesuit, including some efforts to appoint more women in positions of authority. Martin was on the Colbert Report, wrote many books (including one on humor), and actively sought to minister to LGBT people.

He wrote Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity. One thing noted is that Pope Francis supported decriminalizing homosexuality, which would have a significant effect in various nations.

Gay USA, in its recent episode, graded Pope Francis strictly. They argued he provided some lip service to reform while not making any real substantive changes. The basic doctrine remains. I think tone is important, especially since many Catholics don't follow doctrine (see contraceptives) anyway. All the same, the hosts did have a point.  

People can also cite the limits of how they addressed women's issues. For instance, regarding making women deacons. St. Paul's references to women as deacons and "outstanding among the apostles" or "first among the apostles" seems to clash that. 

Francis did do some positive things regarding appointing women in leadership positions. The overall numbers only went up a small amount. There were some significant moves. 

Francis named the first woman to head a major Holy See office, appointing Sister Simona Brambilla to become prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church’s religious orders. The position "ranks higher than the cardinal who has the number two position of pro-prefect." 

Raffaella Petrini was also recently (while Francis probably knew he was dying) appointed as the first governor of Vatican City. A bit of background:

Sister Rafaella Petrini is a member of the American Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. 

She was born in Rome on Jan. 15, 1969 and gained a degree in political science at the LUISS university in Rome, and a doctorate from the Dominican run university of St. Thomas Aquinas, popularly known as the Angelicum, where she taught classes on “welfare economics” and “the sociology of economic processes.” 

She gained a masters degree in organizational behavior from the University of Hartford in 2001.

From 2005 to 2001, she worked as an official at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, where she was known as a highly efficient organizer. 

Then, on Nov. 4, 2021, Pope Francis appointed her as secretary general of the governorate of the Vatican City State, the first woman to hold that important position, making her then the highest-ranking woman in the smallest state in the world.

By giving women the top-ranking position over cardinals, Pope Francis has broken a centuries-old tradition in the Vatican. This is notable stuff.

The Catholic Church still has a long ways to go, including birth control, women priests, and divorce. As long as priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes are all men, the institution will have a sexist flavor. 

Rev. Martin has done many good things with LGBT issues. Nonetheless, he is stuck within an institution that remains blatantly discriminatory over them, up to and including blocking same sex marriage. 

Change, however, can and has occurred in the Church. The worldwide church will not be for me and many others. It still is the church for millions. 

We should hope the next pope continues in the footsteps of Pope Francis. And, if he (yes will be a he) can go further, more power to them. For now, goodluck,  “President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State, and President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State.”