Appointment of Women to Vatican Dicastery an “important development”: South African Nun

The decision by the Holy Father to appoint the three women to the Vatican Dicastery needs to be “eye opening and an opportunity for the Church in Africa among our own Bishops, among our own Priests, not only from the Hierarchy point of view, but even among the laity themselves, who tend not to recognize the role of women,” she said. 

The member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross added that the Church in Africa needs to “start locally to recognize the abilities and competencies of women and then promote it regionally, provincially and internationally.”

“The Church in Africa belongs to the universal Church, and we as a Church should be excited and happy about this move, and I hope that the Church in Africa will be open to that,” the SACBC Associate Secretary General told ACI Africa.

In the July 19 interview, Sr. Siyali expressed the need to include women from Africa and Asia in high-ranking positions within the Vatican, arguing that all the three recently appointed women hail from Europe and Latin America.

“I would have loved to see women from other continents such as Africa and Asia,” the South African Catholic Nun said.

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She however recognized the Holy Father’s decision “as a starting point”, and explained, “I think it's important for the Pope to start with those he is familiar with, so that he can see whether this move works.”

“I hope that in future it does not remain confined to Europe, it should spread to other continents,” the Associate Secretary General of the Conference that brings together Catholic Bishops in Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa told ACI Africa July 19.

Sheila Pires is a veteran radio and television Mozambican journalist based in South Africa. She studied communications at the University of South Africa. She is passionate about writing on the works of the Church through Catholic journalism.