'A door has opened': Pope Francis appoints first woman to senior synod post

France's Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of synod of bishops, is first woman to hold the rank which gives voting rights

Breaking with tradition, Pope Francis has appointed Frenchwoman Nathalie Becquart as an undersecretary of the synod of bishops, the first woman to hold the post and have voting rights.

The 52-year-old is one of the two new undersecretaries named to the synod, the body of bishops that studies major questions of doctrine and where she has been a consultant since 2019.