Pontiff alters canon law to legalize female head of Vatican city-state
November 24, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: Pope Leo XIV issued a motu proprio on November 21, altering canon law to allow the appointment of a woman religious, Sister Raffaella Petrini, as secretary-general of the Governorate of the Vatican city-state.
Pope Francis had appointed Sister Petrini to the post in February, but had not amended the provision of canon law that required the head of the Vatican city-state to be a member of the College of Cardinals. At the time, the Vatican press office said that Pope Francis had in effect changed canon law—as he had the authority to do—by making the appointment.
By amending the law, Pope Leo indirectly acknowledged questions about the legality of the appointment, and corrected the problem. He wrote:
This form of shared responsibility makes it appropriate to consolidate certain solutions that have been developed so far in response to governance needs that are proving increasingly complex and pressing.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
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