Yvonne Reungoat FMA (born 14 January 1945 in Plouénan, France) is a French

religious sister A religious sister (abbreviated ''Sr.'' or Sist.) in the Catholic Church is a woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute dedicated to apostolic works, as distinguished from a nun who lives a cloistered monastic life dedicated to pr ...

, who is a former

Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...

of the

Daughters of Mary Help of Christians , image = Maria Dominika Mazzarello jpg..jpg , image_size = 175px , caption = Maria Mazzarello: Founder , abbreviation = FMA , founder = Saint Sr. Maria Domenica Mazzarello, , type ...

. In July 2022, she has been appointed as a member in the Vatican's

Dicastery for Bishops The Dicastery for Bishops, formerly named Congregation for Bishops (), is the department of the Roman Curia that oversees the selection of most new bishops. Its proposals require papal approval to take effect, but are usually followed. The Dicas ...

Biography

Yvonne Reungoat entered into religious life on 5 August 1965. She earned a degree in History and Geography at the

University of Lyon The University of Lyon (french: Université de Lyon), located in Lyon and Saint-Étienne, France, is a center for higher education and research comprising 11 members and 24 associated institutions. The three main universities in this center are: ...

and became a school teacher in Lyon for 11 years. From 1983 to 1989 she was in charge of the French province of the Sacred Heart, then she was sent to Africa. In 1991, she became the first provincial superior of the African province of the Mother of God. In setting up the newly founded works in West Africa, she placed particular value on the training of young African sisters, the founding of youth and school centers and the promotion of women's projects. Between 1996 and 2008, she was a member of the General Chapter and in 2002 was elected Vicary General of this institute. In 2008, when elected

by the chapter, she was after 136 years of Italian mother superiors the first French to hold this post. On 5 April 2018, she was elected president of the Union of Major Superiors of Italy in its 65th National Assembly. On 8 July 2019, Reungoat is one of the first seven women appointed members of the

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, formerly called Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL; la, Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Soci ...

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

. On 13 July 2022,

appointed women as members of the

for the first time, two religious and one

consecrated virgin In the Catholic Church, a consecrated virgin is a woman who has been consecrated by the church to a life of perpetual virginity as a bride of Christ. Consecrated virgins are consecrated by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical ...

: Yvonne Reungoat, Raffaella Petrini, and María Lía Zervino. In January 2021, Reungoat she promoted to ''Officier'' of the

Légion d’Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...

. She had previously been appointed a ''Chevalier'' of the Légion d’Honneur.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reungoat, Yvonne 1945 births Living people People from Finistère Women officials of the Roman Curia Superiors general Sisters of Don Bosco Members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life 20th-century French nuns 21st-century French nuns