Pope Francis appoints two new Undersecretaries for the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops: Br Nathalie Becquart and Fr Luis Marín de San Martín.
By Vatican News staff writer
Pope Francis appointed Brother Nathalie Becquart and Father Luis Marín de San Martín to be 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.
The appointment of Sr. Natalie Becquart is particularly interesting, as it is the first time that a woman has been appointed to this position.
Biography Nathalie Becquart
Nathalie Becquart was born in 1969 in Fontainebleau, France.
She graduated from the HEC business school with a master’s degree in business with a major in entrepreneurship from Jouy-en-Josas in 1992, and studied philosophy at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Between 1992-1993, she spent her year volunteering in Beirut, Lebanon, working as a math and French teacher at a Catholic high school and taking courses in philosophy and theology at ISSR-St Joseph Jesuit University of Beirut. This was followed by two years working as a Consultant at a marketing and advertising agency for NGOs and Christian organizations (EJC consultancy) in Paris.
Nathalie joined the Xavière sisters, missionaries of Christ Jesus (Apostolic Congregation for Ignatian Spirituality) in August 1995 and took her perpetual vows in September 2005.
Since then, she has served in various capacities, including Spiritual Director of the Ignatian Youth Network in France, National Coordinator of the Scouting program for young people in poor urban multicultural areas, Scouts de France; President of the Ignatian association “Life at Sea, entry into prayer”; Director of Pastoral Campus de Créteil (University of East Paris) and member of the Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry, Diocesan Coordinator of WYD 2007-2008; Deputy Director of the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and Vocations (SNEJV), responsible for university ministry, at the French Episcopal Conference; Director of the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and Vocations (SNEJV) at the French Episcopal Conference (September 2012 to August 2018 for a period 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 he was part of the preparatory team for the Youth Synod in the Vatican; in October 2018, Auditor of the Synod of Bishops on “Youth, faith and vocational discernment”.
Since then, Sister Nathalie has followed the Vatican’s sabbatical programs at CTU (Catholic Theological Union) in Chicago, USA.
Biography Fr. Luis Marín de San Martín
Luis Marín de San Martín was born in Madrid, Spain, on August 21, 1961.
He issued 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). He was ordained a priest on June 4, 1988 by Mgr. 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 Degree in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical University Comillas de Madrid (1990); and another in Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1992); and a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical University Comillas de 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 at the Nuestra Señora de la Vid parish in San Sebastián de los Reyes. He was a formator at the Augustinian formation house of Los Negrales between 1992 and 1999. He was parish priest “in solidum” of the parishes in the Montejo de la Sierra area (Madrid) between 1992 and 1995. He was also director of Estudio Teológico Agustiniano Tagaste (1995-1999 ) and the San Agustín Theological Center (1996-1998). He was a member of the Professorium’s training team between 1996 and 1999. From 1999 to 2002 he was Provincial Councilor for the Augustinian Province of Spain and Parish Priest of the Parishes of Santa Ana and la Esperanza (Madrid). From 2002 to 2008 he was prior to the Monastery of Santa María de la Vid (La Vid, Burgos) and collaborated as a formator in the interprovincial novitiate. He was a professor at the San Agustín Theological Center (Los Negrales – San Lorenzo de El Escorial) and at the Estustin Teológico Agustiniano de Valladolid.
He is the author of several books and numerous articles in magazines and specialized publications. From 2009 to 2013 he was secretary of the Augustinian Historical Institute. Since 2004 he has been a visiting professor at the Faculty of Theology of Norte de España (Burgos). He conducted numerous retreats and spiritual exercises for religious and lay people. He also conducted retreats and ongoing formation courses for priests and developed an extensive pastoral program with the laity. He is General Archivist of the Order of Saint Augustine since 2008 and Assistant General of the Augustinian Order and President of the Institute of Augustinian Spirituality since 2013.