Rome (Italy). On 13 July 2022, the Holy Father appointed three women, as well as eleven Cardinals and Monsignors, as members of the Dicastery for Bishops: Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, Superior Emeritus of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians; Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist (F.S.E.), Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State; and Dr. Maria Lia Zervino, President of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations.
Mother Yvonne Reungoat was the 9th Superior General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Born on 14 January 1945 in Plouénan in France, she made her Religious Profession as an FMA on 5 August 1965. Graduated in Literature-History-Geography at the University of Lyon, France, she taught until 1980, then she was Community Animator in Lyon, Paris, (1977-1983); Provincial Vicar (1978 – 1983); and Provincial in Paris (1983-1989). In 1991 she was elected Superior of the African Mother of God Province based in Lomé (Togo). At General Chapter XX, in 1996, she was elected Visiting General Councilor; and in 2002, at GC XXI, Vicar General. In 2008, at GC XXII, she was elected Mother General and General Chapter XXIII in 2014 elected her for a second six-year term.
Since 2018, Mother Yvonne is President of the Major Superiors Union of Italy (USMI) and since 2019, she has been a member of the Congregation for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
The Dicastery for Bishops provides for everything that pertains to the appointment of diocesan and titular Bishops, apostolic Administrators and, in general, to the provision of local Churches, taking into consideration the proposals of local Churches, Episcopal Conferences, and Pontifical Representations, and after having consulted the members of the Presidency of the respective Bishops’ Conference and the Metropolitan. This process also involves members of the people of God from the Dioceses concerned in appropriate ways.
The wishes of Mother Chiara Cazzuola, Superior General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, to Mother Yvonne Reungoat:
“While we rejoice with you for this new appointment, a sign of the great trust of the Church in your person and in the entire Institute, we wish you a good mission. We will be close to you with affection and gratitude. We will accompany this new journey with prayer and the commitment of our fidelity to the Church and to the Pope.
Thank you, Mother Yvonne, for your availability and for your prompt and serene response to this new call which, in the year in which we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the FMA Institute, is a gift and a sign of the fruitfulness of the charism.
May Mary Help of Christians precede, guide, and accompany your journey as she did at the origins of our Institute 150 years ago. With all the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the world we wish you a good journey!”.
