Pope taps layman as new secretary of Laity, Family, Life November 17, 2022By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has named a Brazil-born husband, father of two children and teacher of religion in an Italian school to be the secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life. The pope’s choice of Gleison De Paula Souza, who teaches in the southern Italian town of Galatina, was announced by the Vatican Nov. 17. He succeeds Schonstatt Father Alexandre Awi Mello, who was elected superior general of his order in August. Souza, 38, was born in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state. From 2005 to 2016, he was a member of the Sons of Divine Providence but left the community without being ordained to the priesthood. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome and a master’s in philosophy from the University of Salento in Lecce. The dicastery is led by U.S. Cardinal Kevin Farrell and has two undersecretaries: Linda Ghisoni and Gabriella Gambino. Read More Vatican News Who are the 4 US archbishops receiving the pallium from Pope Leo XIV? Pope Leo tells cardinals war is ‘never blessed by God’ Pope Leo hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning authors at Vatican for discussion on power of written word SSPX doubles down on defiance of Vatican II in open letter Eucharist transforms believers into Christ’s body and counters division, pope says Religious, civic leaders join Pope Leo for Liberty Medal award ceremony Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
