Vatican: Two laymen, one a woman, nominated to the Secretariat for Communication
On February 9, 2016, the Holy See announced two new nominations to the Secretariat for Communication, created in June 2015.
With a Ph.D. in missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome after a thesis on the communication of the Faith through images, 41-year-old Slovenian Natasha Govekar, has been designated directress of the “theological and pastoral” department of the dicastery. “By nominating a woman (…), the pope makes the statement that the pastoral question is not the prerogative of pastors alone, but refers to practices and comportments in the Church today,” commented Bishop Dario Edoardo Viganò, prefect of the Secretariat for Communication, to the press agency I.Media. According to Apic, this “theological and pastoral” department should eventually replace the present Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
An Italian layman in his thirties, Francesco Masci, previously technical head of the Vatican Internet service, was also chosen by the pope as director of the technical department of the Secretariat for Communication. Bishop Viganò mentioned the imminent creation of these departments in January. He also announced the upcoming creation of an editorial department.
(sources: apic/imedia – DICI no.332 dated March 11, 2016)
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