Pope Francis appoints two new sub-secretaries to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops: Sr Nathalie Becquart and Fr Luis Marín de San Martín.
By author of Vatican News staff
Pope Francis has appointed Sr Nathalie Becquart and Fr Luis Marín de San Martín as the under-secretaries of the synod of bishops.
The Synod of Bishops, currently headed by Cardinal Mario Grech, is a permanent institution founded by Pope Paul VI in 1965, in response to the desire of the fathers of the Second Vatican Council to promote the spirit of collegiality the reconciling experience produced, to keep alive.
The appointment of Sr Natalie Becquart is particularly interesting as it is the first time a woman has been appointed to this post.
Biography Sr Nathalie Becquart
Nathalie Becquart was born in 1969 in Fontainebleau, France.
She graduated in 1992 from the HEC School of Management with a Master in Management with a specialization in Entrepreneurship in Jouy-en-Josas, and studied philosophy at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Between 1992-1993 she spent her volunteer year in Beirut, Lebanon, working as a professor of Mathematics and French at a Catholic High School and taking courses in philosophy and theology at the ISSR-St Joseph Jesuit University of Beirut. This was followed by two years as a consultant in a marketing and advertising agency for NGOs and Christian organizations (EJC consulting) in Paris.
In August 1995, Nathalie joined the Xaviere sisters, missionaries of Christ Jesus (Apostolic Congregation of Ignatian Spirituality) and made her final vows in September 2005.
She has since worked in various roles, including spiritual director for the Ignatian Youth Network in France National coordinator of the scout program for youth in poor urban multicultural areas, Scouts de France; President of the Ignatian Society “Life at Sea, Access to Prayer”; Director of the Campus Ministry in Créteil (University of East Paris) and member of the diocesan office for youth ministry, WYD diocesan coordinator in 2007-2008; Deputy Director of the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and for Vocations (SNEJV), in charge of university pastoral care, at the French Bishops’ Conference; Director of the National Service for the Evangelism of Youth and Professions (SNEJV) during the French Bishops’ Conference (Sept. 2012-August 2018 for a term of 6 years); Member of the Episcopal Council of the Diocese of Nanterre France (with Bishop Michel Aupetit, now Archbishop of Paris); Vice-President 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 at the Synod of Bishops on “Youth, faith and professional distinction”.
Since then, Sath Nathalie has been following the Vatican’s Sabbath programs at CTU (Catholic Theological Union) in Chicago, USA.
Biography Fr Luis Marín de San Martín
Luis Marín de San Martín was born on August 21, 1961 in Madrid, Spain.
He made temporary vows in the Order of St. Augustine on 5 September 1982 and solemn vows on 1 November 1985.
From 1982 to 1988 he studied Philosophy and Theology at the Seminario Mayor Tagaste (Los Negrales, Madrid). He was ordained a priest by Mons on June 4, 1988. Francisco José Pérez y Fernández-Golfín, Auxiliary Bishop of Madrid. It belongs to the Augustinian province of San Juan de Sahagún in Spain. He received a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid (1990); and another in Dogmatic Theology from the Papal Gregorian University in Rome (1992); and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid (1998) with a dissertation on the ecclesiology of St. John XXIII, which he defended in 1995. He also obtained a diploma in archival studies (Vatican, 2011).
Between 1988 and 1990 he worked in the municipality of Nuestra Señora de la Vid, of San Sebastián de los Reyes. He was a trainer in the Augustinian House of Formation of Los Negrales between 1992 and 1999. Between 1992 and 1995 he was parish priest ‘in solidum’ of the congregations of the Montejo de la Sierra area (Madrid). He was also director of Estudio Teológico Agustiniano Tagaste (1995-1999) and of Centro Teológico San Agustín (1996-1998). He served as a member of the formation team in the Professorship between 1996 and 1999. From 1999 to 2002 he served as provincial counselor for the Augustinian province of Spain and parish priest of the congregations 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 worked together as a trainer in interprovincial novice. He taught as a professor at the Centro Teológico San Agustín (Los Negrales – San Lorenzo de El Escorial) and at the Estudio Teológico Agustiniano of Valladolid.
He is the author of various books and numerous articles in specialized journals and publications. From 2009 to 2013, he was secretary of the Augustinian Historical Institute. Since 2004 he has been lecturing as an invited professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Norte de España (Burgos). He addressed numerous retreats and spiritual exercises to religious and lay people. He also led retreats and ongoing training courses for priests and developed an extensive pastoral ministry with lay people. He has served as General Archivist of the Order of St. Augustine since 2008 and since 2013 as Assistant General of the Augustine Order and President of the Augustinian Spirituality Institute.