Pope Names Australian Bishop Randazzo Vatican Canon Law Prefect

Pope Leo XIV appointed Australian Bishop Anthony Randazzo as prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts at the Vatican on March 25, promoting him to the rank of archbishop and entrusting him with oversight of the Catholic Church's canon law interpretation and application.

The 59-year-old prelate, who has served as bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay in New South Wales since 2019, will relocate to Rome in three months to assume the role. The Dicastery for Legislative Texts, established in 1917, advises the pope on legal matters, ensures the proper understanding and enforcement of canon law across the Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches, and reviews decrees from bishops' conferences to maintain harmony with Church doctrine. It also addresses gaps in legislation and responds to queries from dioceses and religious orders worldwide.

Randazzo succeeds Italian Archbishop Filippo Iannone, who moved to lead the Dicastery for Bishops in September 2025. This marks the first time an Australian has headed a Vatican department since Cardinal George Pell's tenure as prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy ended in 2019. Randazzo's expertise in canon law stems from his studies at Rome's...