The Salesians had already approved it in their most recent General Chapter: the superior of a community could be a consecrated layperson.
D. PASCUAL CHÁVEZ, Rector Major Emeritus of the Salesians
Number 13, concerning the request to the Rector Major to avail himself ad experimentum of the pope's Rescript to appoint, with the consent of his council, a Salesian Coadjutor as director of a community, reaches the required absolute majority, half +1, and thus is approved.
But note that what was agreed upon is that it would be done experimentally—that is, on a local level and evaluated case by case.
Something similar happened in Argentina. The Salesians have appointed their first consecrated lay superior. Fernando Saade will lead the one of the communities in the country.
He’s not the only non-priest Salesian to take on this role. It was also announced that Spaniard José Manuel González will become the director of the community in León, officially taking the position at the beginning of July.
It was Pope Francis who, after listening to various religious communities, decided to amend Canon 588 of the Code of Canon Law. This change means that superiors of some Salesian communities no longer have to be priests by default.
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