Pope Francis Makes A Curial Appointment That Is A Franicscan Surprise!

The Italian news website, The Vatican Insider, has posted a story about Pope Francis' first major Curial appointment.  He has appointed Father Jose Rodriguez Carballo, OFM, as Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated life and the Societies of Apostolic Life (formerly known as ‘The Congregation for Religious’).  Father Carballo is currently serving his second term as the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, (The Franciscans).  The Pope will raise the Spanish friar to the office of archbishop. 

This will be the second religious to hold the office in recent memory, the first being Archbishop Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis, who is a Redemptorist, and held the office from 2010 to 2012.

It will be interesting to see how this appointment will affect the relationship between some American religious women communities and the Vatican. This Papacy continues to be full of surprises!