Pope Leo XIV names Archbishop Carlo Redaelli as Secretary of the Dicastery for the Clergy, a role central to clergy governance and Church discipline.
Newsroom (22/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli, until now Archbishop of Gorizia, as Secretary of the Dicastery for the Clergy, according to the Holy See’s official bulletin. The appointment inserts a canon lawyer with deep experience into one of the Vatican’s more technical yet powerful curial offices.
The Dicastery for the Clergy oversees the discipline, formation, and pastoral life of diocesan priests around the world. Within that structure, the secretary’s role is crucial — managing files, coordinating decisions, and ensuring directives from the prefect are effectively implemented. Tradition holds that Rome chooses its secretaries less for charisma than for procedural precision. In this sense, Redaelli’s nomination seems entirely in line with Vatican logic.
A Career Built on Canon Law and Administration
Born in Milan in 1956, Redaelli was ordained a priest in 1980 and earned a licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1988. His career path is a study in steady advancement within the Church’s legal and administrative institutions. In Milan, he served in the diocesan curia, eventually becoming vicar general and later auxiliary bishop. Since 2012, he has led the Archdiocese of Gorizia.
Within the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), Redaelli distinguished himself by chairing the Council for Legal Affairs, dealing regularly with sensitive questions surrounding Church property, administrative disputes, and canonical compliance. This combination of legal precision and bureaucratic authority reflects the profile Vatican officials often prize — leaders capable of “putting the house in order” without drama.
Rome’s Troubleshooter
More than once, Rome has shown its trust in Redaelli by dispatching him to struggling dioceses. He was named apostolic visitor to Acqui in 2016 and later acted as its administrator in 2018. In 2020, he was sent as visitor to Pescara-Penne, and more recently to Piazza Armerina.
The latter mission, according to Italian media, was tied to governance and financial irregularities within the diocese — a delicate matter requiring legal acumen and discretion. These assignments have reinforced his reputation as a Vatican troubleshooter: a man brought in when clarity, compliance, and order are needed.
Liturgical Controversy and Summorum Pontificum
Redaelli’s past positions on liturgy have attracted attention, particularly among those attached to the Traditional Latin Mass. In 2018, reports linked him to the argument that Pope Paul VI’s reforms had formally abolished the 1962 Missal — the very text whose wider use was later authorized by Benedict XVI through Summorum Pontificum.
This interpretation — that Summorum Pontificum relied on a dubious legal premise — placed Redaelli at odds with advocates of the pre–Vatican II liturgical form. The debate has since become emblematic of deeper tensions between traditionalist sensibilities and Rome’s evolving liturgical governance.
Still, his appointment to the Dicastery for the Clergy does not directly connect to liturgical policymaking. Yet given that clergy formation and diocesan governance often intersect with liturgical identity, his new role situates him near the heart of some of today’s most sensitive pastoral debates.
A Strategic Vatican Move
Pope Leo XIV’s decision signals both institutional confidence and a preference for steady, technically skilled leadership. As secretary, Redaelli will operate behind the scenes, shaping the practical implementation of Vatican policy across global dioceses.
While not a public-facing role, it is one of considerable influence — especially at a time when the Church is navigating pressures over priestly formation, governance transparency, and the long shadow of liturgical division. Redaelli’s firm legalist approach and proven loyalty to the institutional Church make him a figure to watch as the Curia continues to adapt under Pope Leo XIV’s direction.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from InfoVaticana
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