Pope Francis: A woman will head the Vatican Governatorate

By Salvatore Cernuzio

Sister Raffaella Petrini, currently Secretary General, will head the Governatorate of the Vatican City State starting in March. The appointment will follow the retirement of Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga from his role as President of the Governatorate.

In an interview with Fabio Fazio for Italian TV channel Nove’s Che tempo che fa program, which aired on Sunday evening, Pope Francis announced the news of his intention to appoint Sr. Petrini as President.

He also expressed sorrow over the prospect of mass deportations of migrants in the United States, joy at the truce in Gaza, and his hope for a two-State solution.

The Pope discussed welcoming migrants, the ongoing Jubilee, his decision to open a Holy Door in a prison in Rome, efforts to combat abuse, and his personal health.

Pope Francis had previously granted an interview to Che tempo che fa in 2022 and another in 2024.

Sunday’s new hour-long conversation also served as an opportunity to present his autobiography, Hope, curated by journalist Carlo Musso, published by Mondadori, and available in 100 countries.

He described the work of writing his autobiography as “very delicate,” comprising numerous stories that “convey a sense of who I am.”

Sister Petrini to head Vatican Governatorate

Pope Francis reassured viewers about the condition of his arm following Thursday’s bruise, saying, “It’s moving better.”

He then announced that, starting in March, Sister Raffaella Petrini will become President of the Vatican Governatorate.

This marks another significant appointment of a woman to a prominent role, following Sr. Simona Brambilla’s appointment as Prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life.

“The work of women in the Curia has progressed slowly but effectively. Now, we have many,” the Pope noted.

Listing roles assigned to women in the Vatican, he added: “At the Governatorate, the Secretary General, who will become President in March, is a nun… Women manage better than we do,” he remarked.

Mass deportation plans in the U.S.

Pope Francis responded to a question about the United States amid rumors of a potential mass deportation plan for migrants following President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The Pope described such an eventuality “a disgrace,” because “it makes the poor who have nothing pay the price for imbalance”.

Welcoming migrants and declining birthrates

On the topic of migration, Pope Francis reiterated the “four verbs” to address the emergency. “Migrants must be welcomed, accompanied, promoted, and integrated.”

He also touched on his concern over declining birthrates, citing Italy’s average age of “46 years.”

“If you don’t have children, you have to let migrants in,” he said.

Two-State solution and the importance of peace

The Pope also addressed the war in the Middle East, noting the start of the ceasefire on Sunday in Gaza and the release of three women held hostage by Hamas.

As he did at the Angelus earlier in the day, he expressed gratitude to those who negotiated the ceasefire, saying, “They are good.”

He then discussed the two-State solution. “I believe it is the only solution. Some are willing, others are not,” he noted, adding that “peace is greater than war.”

The Pope emphasized the courage required to pursue peace, noting that “sometimes you lose something, but you gain much more.”

War, he insisted, is instead always “a defeat,” and he reiterated the importance of negotiations and condemning the “immense” profits of arms manufacturers who fuel “destruction.”

Do not forget prisoners

Pope Francis went on to speak of hope, the central theme of the Jubilee, calling hope “the anchor on the shore” to cling to, echoing the imagery from his homily at the opening of the Holy Door at Rome’s Rebibbia prison.

He explained that he made this unprecedented gesture “because I always carry prisoners in my heart,” adding his appeal: “Do not forget prisoners; many outside are more guilty than they are.”

Shame and sorrow for the Holocaust

Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, the Pope expressed “a sense of pity and shame” for the tragedy.

He recalled his visit to Auschwitz in 2016, which he was able to experience firsthand through stories, films, and the testimony of “the great lady” Edith Bruck, the 92-year-old Hungarian poet and Holocaust survivor.

Abuse, youth, sin

The interview also covered other topics, including abuse, which the Pope described as “a very great evil” against which we must “fight forcefully.”

He also talked about the challenges of young people who must be “accompanied” and the importance of being close to “everyone, everyone, everyone,” without an “angelicality” regarding sins or focusing excessively on sins of the flesh.

“It disgusts me when some in Confession always seek those,” said the Pope. “There is no sin that cannot be forgiven; none. Because God wants everyone with Him, as His children, as brothers and sisters among ourselves.”

The “first stumble” in the Sistine Chapel

Finally, Pope Francis shared humorous anecdotes, such as his “first stumble” on a step in the Sistine Chapel, right after his election, as he went to greet a cardinal in a wheelchair. “The infallible Pope started with a fallible step: he tripped!”

As the interview concluded, the Pope issued a request for the Holy Year. “Do not let this opportunity pass by,” he said. “Strive forward courageously. And never lose your sense of humor.”