Pope Francis has appointed 52-year-old French Sister Nathalie Becquart as an undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, the Vatican announced on Saturday.
Why it matters: She's the first woman to be appointed to the synod, which advises the pope and has voting rights. The pontiff has expressed support for women playing a more leading role in the Catholic Church, though he hasn't advocated to overturn the Vatican's female priesthood ban.
#PopeFrancis appoints two new Under-Secretaries to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops: Sr Nathalie Becquart and Fr Luis Marín de San Martín.https://t.co/7v6jcf2i2n
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) February 6, 2021