Pope Leo XIV appoints Br. Armin Luistro to Vatican dicastery

MANILA, Philippines — Former Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as a member of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life.

This appointment was announced by the Vatican Press Office on Tuesday. According to the website of the Vatican, the dicastery is a department under the Roman Curia responsible for promoting, encouraging, and regulating the practice of evangelical counsels.

Luistro is the superior general of the De La Salle Brothers, also known as Brothers of the Christian Schools, a congregation committed to the mission of education in 80 countries. He is the first Filipino to assume this title.

READ: Now is not the time to be silent, Luistro tells teachers

The La Salle Global on Wednesday welcomed Luistro’s appointment to the dicastery.

“This appointment is a clear sign of the synodal path that we, as Lasallians, are called to walk in communion with the Church,” it said in a statement.

“We extend our best wishes to Brother Armin in this new mission, trusting that his service will be a valuable contribution to the entire consecrated life of the Church,” it added.

READ: LOOK: Br. Armin Luistro meets Pope Leo XIV in Vatican

According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines or CBCP News, the De La Salle Brothers, led by Luistro, met the new pope during an audience in the Vatican last May 15. The brothers marked the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of St. John Baptist de La Salle as the patron saint of Christian teachers.

Luistro served as the Department of Education secretary under the administration of late former President Benigno Aquino III.

La Salle Global said that Luistro started his teaching career at De La Salle Lipa in Batangas where he served as a religion teacher, class counselor, and campus minister from 1983 to 1986. He was also the president of De La Salle University from April 2004 to June 2010.

(2025/06/25-13:10)