Cardinal Leo named to Dicastery for Clergy

Cardinal Francis Leo has been named a new member of the Vatican Discastery for Clergy.

Along with Toronto’s Archbishop, in renewing the membership of the Vatican Dicastery for Clergy, Pope Leo XIV included as members the secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and two U.S. bishops.

The Pope named eight cardinals and 14 bishops to five-year terms as members of the dicastery, which is led by South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik.

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“I give thanks to the Holy Father for the opportunity to serve as a member of the Dicastery for the Clergy," said Leo. "I very much look forward to working with other members to contribute and dialogue together in our shared desire to strengthen and support the shepherds of our faith worldwide.” 

Besides Leo, the new members, announced by the Vatican Aug. 28, included: Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors; Bishop James F. Checchio, of Metuchen, New Jersey; and Bishop Edward M. Lohse of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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Pope Leo also appointed a dozen new consultants for the dicastery, including two religious sisters: U.S.-born Trappistine Mother Martha Driscoll, superior of the women's community at the Tre Fontane Monastery in Rome; and Romanian Sister Iuliana Sarosi, a member of the Congregation of the Mother of God and a professor of psychology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

The dicastery offers guidance and assistance to bishops in everything that has to do with the recruitment, training and continuing education of diocesan priests and permanent deacons.

A version of this article appeared in the September 07, 2025 issue of The Catholic Register with the headline "Pope names Cardinal Leo to Dicastery for Clergy"