Vatican City: In a significant stride for female leadership within the Roman Curia, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Sister Tiziana Merletti as Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Sr. Merletti, a distinguished canon lawyer and former Superior General of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, now becomes the third woman to occupy a secretary-level post within the Vatican’s governing structure.
The Dicastery, responsible for overseeing religious orders, congregations, and secular institutes, plays a vital role in nurturing the spiritual and administrative life of consecrated communities worldwide. Sr. Merletti steps into this influential position under the leadership of Sr. Simona Brambilla, who in January made history as the first woman appointed to lead a Vatican dicastery.
Sr. Merletti’s ecclesiastical and academic credentials are extensive. Born in Pineto, Italy, in 1959, she professed her religious vows in 1986. Her academic journey includes a law degree in 1984 and a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University in 1992. Her tenure as Superior General (2004–2013) reflected both administrative prowess and deep spiritual commitment. Currently, she serves as a professor at the Pontifical Antonianum University and practices as a canonist with the International Union of Superiors General.
Her appointment highlights the Vatican’s evolving commitment to promoting women in key leadership roles. She follows in the footsteps of Sr. Alessandra Smerilli and Sr. Simona Brambilla, both of whom have held high-ranking curial roles. The shift is part of a broader reform initiated by Pope Francis through the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, which opened top Vatican offices to laypeople and women — positions once restricted to cardinals and bishops.
Under the guidance of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery, Sr. Merletti is expected to bring scholarly rigor and pastoral sensitivity to a role that influences religious life across continents. Her appointment underscores the Vatican’s steady march toward inclusivity and the deepening role of women in shaping the future of the Church.