Prefect says women's leadership is needed, particularly in times of crisis
- Mar 8
- 2 min read
In his address at a March 6 conference in Rome, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad said that women's leadership is needed, particularly in times of crisis.
Cardinal Koovakad attended the event with diplomats, political leaders, academics and civil society representatives to consider the role of women in promoting peace, cooperation and social transformation.
Koovakad named examples of women in leadership including Saint Catherine of Siena, who mediated leaders in power and Eleanor Roosevelt, who was appointed by President Harry Truman to lead the effort to persuade the U.N. General Assembly to adopt a Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As the Prefect of the Dicastery for interreligious dialogue, Koovakad also named women actively negotiating peacebuilding initiatives worldwide.
He listed essential characteristics of female leadership: courage "in rebuilding a collapsed bridge," empathy toward the suffering of others, and the ability to confront complex social challenges with resilience and determination. He said women often demonstrate a capacity to overcome prejudice, to involve both allies and adversaries in dialogue, promote justice, care for the environment and the common good, while nurturing hope and wisdom.
Koovakad was born in 1973 in Chethipuzha, India. He was ordained a priest in 2004 for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry. He earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in 2006, when he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See. His posts included Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica and Venezuela.
He was consecrated a bishop in November 2024. Pope Francis created Koovakad a cardinal in December 2024, one of the youngest cardinals at age 53. He is the first priest from the Syro-Malabar Church to be created a cardinal. Now, as the prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, his role as an experienced diplomat is crucial in cultivating relationships between diverse faith communities and promoting dialogue on crucial global issues.
Photo by collegeofcardinalsreport.com
