As the Vatican press office announced on Wednesday, he appointed the Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich, as one of the six members of the Commission of Cardinals. Alongside Cardinal Kevin Farrell, he is now the second US-American on the committee.
The respective head of government of the Vatican state, currently the nun Raffaela Petrini, must consult the commission on important issues that are not reserved for the Pope.
Together with Cupich, Leo XIV also appointed his vicar general for the diocese of Rome, the Italian Cardinal Baldassare Reina, to the commission.
By contrast, Curia Cardinal Leonardo Sandri (81) resigned.
In addition to Farrell, the British Cardinal Arthur Roche, the head of the Eastern Church Department, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, and the Prefect of the Authority for the Clergy, the South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, were also confirmed in office.
The name of head of government Petrini, who was listed as a member of the commission in previous organisation charts, is not mentioned in the communication.