Last Friday, 26 September, Pope Leo XIV appointed Carmelite, Archbishop Filippo Iannone, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. Pope Leo had previously held this position before being elected Pope. Archbishop Iannone was previously Prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts. His new role includes the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (CAL). He begins his new position on 15 October 2025, the Feast of St Teresa of Jesus.

The news of the Archbishop’s appointment arrived at the General Chapter at the conclusion of the Closing Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Malang. The prior general, Desiderio García Martínez, made the announcement to the congregation following the signing of the Acts of the Chapter. Later Fr Desiderio said, "We were very happy when we received the news that Mons. Filippo Iannone has been appointed by the pope as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. We send him our warmest congratulations on behalf of the Carmelite Order. Pope Leo XIV, due to Archbishop Iannone's dedication to the Church, has deemed him worthy of this great responsibility. May the Holy Spirit enlighten him in his new work in the service of the Church."

Archbishop Iannone is a native of Naples, Italy and member of the General Commissariat of La Bruna. He is a jurist and canon lawyer with extensive experience in courts, pontifical universities, and the archdiocese of Naples where he was an auxiliary bishop. He has held various positions in Rome, including being a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; a consultant to the then Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life; a member of the Council for Legal Affairs of the Italian Bishops' Conference; president of the Committee for Places of Worship, and a member of the Episcopal Conference of the Italian province of Lazio.

In 2012 he was appointed viceregent of the Diocese of Rome by Benedict XVI. In 2017 he was appointed adjunct secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. He became president of that Council in April of the following year.

This is the first appointment of a head of a Vatican department by Pope Leo.

We offer our prayers, thoughts and good wishes to Archbishop Filippo as he takes us this important task for the Church.