Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., named as 2026 Commencement speaker

The original article, written and published by Notre Dame News, was shared on March 19, 2026, at news.nd.edu.

Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., has announced that Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., president of the Pontifical Commission and Governorate of Vatican City State, will be the principal speaker at the University of Notre Dame’s 181st University Commencement Ceremony on May 17. The University will also award her an honorary degree.

In February 2025, the late Pope Francis appointed Sister Petrini, a member of the religious congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, to the dual roles of president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State. She is the first woman to hold these top leadership positions in the Vatican.

“Sister Raffaella is an extraordinary leader who works tirelessly for the common good and radiates the peace, love, and hope of Christ. As the highest-ranking woman in the Vatican, she embodies the future of women’s leadership in the Church, having served Pope Francis and now Pope Leo with deep wisdom, unfailing dedication, and true humility,” Father Dowd said.

As president of the governorate, Sister Petrini is responsible for the administrative operations of Vatican City State. Her responsibilities include managing public services; overseeing security, health care, and the Vatican Museums; chairing the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State; and ensuring that all operations align with the pope’s mission.

Sister Petrini is also a member of the Dicastery for Bishops and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, the body responsible for managing Vatican finances.

Born in Rome, Sister Petrini is a distinguished scholar and economist. She holds a degree in political science from Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali (LUISS) in Rome, a master’s degree in organizational behavior from the University of Hartford, and a doctorate in social sciences from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.

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