James O'Reilly
In 2019, Pope Francis shared this powerful exhortation with the newly ordained bishops in the Vatican.
POPE FRANCIS
Proclaim the true Word. Not boring speeches that no one understands. Procla im the Word of God.
Among those ordained was Bishop Paolo Rudelli, who had spent almost 20 years working in the Vatican’s diplomatic sphere. Within months, he would become papal nuncio to Zimbabwe and he later served as ambassador to Colombia. Now he will be the number three at the Vatican. It is the most important appointment of Pope Leo XIV so far.
The Substitute for the Secretariat of State plays an essential role—he heads the Vatican department responsible for coordinating internal affairs in the Curia. He must also be in constant dialogue with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.
Rudelli will replace the Venezuelan Edgar Peña Parra, who has held the position since 2018. In Monaco, he completed his final papal trip and will now serve as nuncio in Italy.
The position of Substitute for the Secretariat of State comes with many difficulties. One of Rudelli's predecessors, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, is on trial for alleged mismanagement of a real estate deal that drained Vatican coffers, although the extent to which he was responsible is now being reassessed.
