Pope Leo appoints pro-female ordination consultors to Vatican dicastery
Among the new Vatican consultors are supporters of female ordination, the expansion of women's roles in the Church, and a more liberal approach to LGBT issues.
On August 6, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed 15 new consultors to the Vatican’s religious life dicastery, including advocates of LGBT ideology and female ordination, greater liturgical experimentation, and structural changes to Church governance, reports LifeSiteNews.
The body in question is he Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Among the new consultors, the publication highlights Sister Patricia Murray, who has been a prominent supporter of Francis’ understanding of so-called synodality within women’s religious life.
Murray has also spoken on LGBT issues. During the 2023 Synod, she spoke of the «pain and suffering» of LGBT community members and the need to discuss how the Catholic Church should respond to such appeals.
Another relevant appointment is Sister Maria Nirmalini, who has previously called for liturgical reform "with less emphasis on uniformity and more on creativity." She has also advocated for expanding the role of women in Church life and urged them to "demand equality."
A newly appointed consultor is also Brother Emili Turú Rofes, a proponent of further "synodal transformation" and changes to traditional forms of Church governance.
In total, Pope Leo XIV appointed two bishops, five priests, two monks, and six nuns. The dicastery is headed by Sister Simona Brambilla, appointed as its Prefect under Pope Francis in January 2025.
The UOJ previously reported that the Vatican excommunicated six bishops.
