Vatican milestone: First woman leads lay employees' union
For the first time in Vatican history, a woman has taken the helm of the lay employees' union. The newly elected chairwoman, Paola Monaco, announced an open dialogue and emphasized the importance of considering employees' opinions.
9:43 AM EDT, October 19, 2024
The woman represents over 4,000 lay employees working in various offices, institutions, administration, and the technical sector of the Vatican. "The voice of the employees cannot be ignored; it is anachronistic to make unilateral decisions and impose them from above. My concern will be to ensure continuity with the past, with a determined step," she said in her first speech after the election.
The new general secretary previously worked in the dicastery for economic affairs and is currently employed in the office organizing Eucharistic congresses worldwide.
What will Paola Monaco be responsible for?
The newspaper "Il Messaggero" points out that Paola Monaco will be responsible for resolving many delicate issues, such as implementing reforms and introducing internal regulations for Vatican employees.
The paper highlights that these employees' situation is unique—due to their work for the Church and the Pope, they cannot conduct strikes. However, protests have occurred in the past. During the pontificate of John Paul II, a special office was established to resolve labor disputes, serving as the Vatican's equivalent of a labor court.
One of the lay employees' union's priorities is greater transparency in budgetary matters. In a statement issued after her election, Paola Monaco emphasized that although Vatican employees are often asked to make sacrifices, they still feel they are part of a unique community.
"The Vatican reality is not just about numbers and economic issues, but above all about values, human and moral aspects, quality, and authenticity," she said. Additionally, Paola Monaco advocated for dialogue with supervisors of various Vatican institutions.
