MANILA, Philippines — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Filipino De La Salle Brother Armin Luistro as one of the 19 new members of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, a powerful Vatican office that oversees matters relating to religious orders and congregations.

The appointment was announced Tuesday and reported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday.

The dicastery is responsible for promoting and regulating the practice of evangelical counsels, which include poverty, chastity, and obedience, in religious life. It also handles sensitive matters such as approving or dismissing vowed members, establishing or merging religious orders, and overseeing constitutions and governance within religious communities.

Luistro currently serves as the Superior General of the De La Salle Brothers, also known as the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He made history in 2022 as the first Asian elected to the position.

Before assuming his global leadership role within the La Sallian congregation, Luistro served as President of De La Salle Philippines and later as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) during the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III.

His appointment places a Filipino voice in one of the Vatican’s most influential bodies concerning religious life and vocations, highlighting the growing global presence of the Philippine Church. (PNA)