Pope Francis appoints two new Undersecretaries to the Secretariat General of the Synod of Bishops: Sr. Nathalie Becquart and Father Luis Marín de San Martín.
By the writer of the Vatican News staff
Pope Francis has Sr. Nathalie Becquart and Father Luis Marín de San Martín have been appointed Undersecretaries of the Synod of Bishops.
Currently headed by Cardinal Mario Grech, the Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution established by Pope Paul VI in 1965 in response to the desire of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council to keep alive the spirit of collegiality generated by the Conciliar experience. was spawned.
The appointment of Sr. Natalie Becquart is particularly interesting because it is the first time that a woman has been appointed to this position.
Biography Sr Nathalie Becquart
Nathalie Becquart was born in 1969 in Fontainebleau, France.
She graduated from HEC School of Management with a Master in Management with a specialization in Entrepreneurship in Jouy-en-Josas in 1992, and studied philosophy at Sorbonne University in Paris. Between 1992-1993 she spent her volunteer year in Beirut, Lebanon, where she worked as a professor of mathematics and French at a Catholic high school and took philosophy and theology courses at ISSR-St Joseph Jesuit University in Beirut. Then I worked for two years as a consultant at a marketing and advertising agency for NGOs and Christian organizations (EJC consulting) in Paris.
Nathalie joined the Xaviere Sisters, Missionaries of Christ Jesus (Apostolic Congregation of Ignatian Spirituality) in August 1995 and took her last vows in September 2005.
Since then she has worked in a variety of roles including Spiritual Director for the Ignatian Youth Network in France, National Coordinator of the Youth Scouting Program in poor urban multicultural areas, Scouts de France; Chairman of the Ignatian Association “Life at Sea, Entry in Prayer”; Director of the Campus Ministry in Créteil (University of East Paris) and member of the diocesan office of the youth ministry, WYD diocesan coordinator in 2007-2008; Deputy Director of the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and Profession (SNEJV), in charge of university pastoral care, at the French Bishops Conference; Director of the National Youth Evangelization and Vocations Service (SNEJV) at the French Episcopal Conference (Sept 2012-Aug 2018 for a 6-year term); Member of the Bishop’s Council of the Diocese of Nanterre France (with Bishop Michel Aupetit, now Archbishop of Paris); Vice Chairman of the European Vocations Service (CCEE).
Between 2016-2018 she was part of the preparatory team for the Synod on Youth in the Vatican; in October 2018, Auditor to the Synod of Bishops on “Youth Discernment, Faith and Vocation”.
Since then Sr. Nathalie Vatican Sabbatical Programs at CTU (Catholic Theological Union) in Chicago, USA.
Biography of Father Luis Marín de San Martín
Luis Marín de San Martín was born on August 21, 1961 in Madrid, Spain.
He took temporary vows to the Order of Saint Augustine on September 5, 1982 and solemn vows on November 1, 1985.
From 1982 to 1988 he studied philosophy and theology at the Seminario Mayor Tagaste (Los Negrales, Madrid). On June 4, 1988, he was ordained a priest by Mons. Francisco José Pérez y Fernández-Golfín, Auxiliary Bishop of Madrid. It belongs to the Augustinian province of San Juan de Sahagún in Spain. He holds a Masters in Spiritual Theology from Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid (1990); and another in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1992); and a PhD in Theology from Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid (1998) with a dissertation on the ecclesiology of John XXIII, which he defended in 1995. He also holds a degree in Archival Studies (Vatican, 2011).
Between 1988 and 1990 he worked in the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Vid, of San Sebastián de los Reyes. He was a founder in the Augustinian house of foundation of Los Negrales between 1992 and 1999. He was parish priest “in solidum” of the parishes of the Montejo de la Sierra zone (Madrid) between 1992 and 1995. He was also director of Estudio Teológico Agustiniano Tagaste (1995-1999) and Centro Teológico San Agustín (1996-1998). Between 1996 and 1999 he was a member of the Professorium training team. From 1999 to 2002, he was provincial adviser for the Augustinian province of Spain and pastor of the parishes of Santa Ana and la Esperanza (Madrid). From 2002 to 2008 he was prior of the Santa María de la Vid Monastery (La Vid, Burgos) and co-founded the Interprovincial Novitiate. He taught as a professor in the Centro Teológico San Agustín (Los Negrales – San Lorenzo de El Escorial) and in the Estudio Teológico Agustiniano of Valladolid.
He is the author of several books and numerous articles in specialized magazines and publications. From 2009 to 2013 he was secretary of the Augustinian Historical Institute. Since 2004 he has taught as visiting professor at the theology faculty of the Norte de España (Burgos). He has conducted numerous retreats and spiritual practices for religious and lay people. He has also conducted retreats and continuing formation courses for priests and has developed extensive pastoral ministry with lay people. He has been General Archivist of the Order of Saint Augustine since 2008, and Assistant General of the Order of Augustine since 2013 and President of the Augustinian Institute for Spirituality.