The Vatican Foundation Joseph Ratzinger – Benedict XVI has appointed Professor Don Roberto Regoli as the new president, following the end of Father Federico Lombardi’s ten-year term. The handover takes place within the framework of the five-year renewal of the Foundation’s institutional bodies and coincides with the preparation of the celebrations for the centenary of Joseph Ratzinger’s birth, scheduled for 2027.
According to Vatican News, the appointment of Don Regoli was made by the Secretariat of State, under which the Foundation falls, once the previous five-year period ended in 2025, as established by the statutes. Along with the appointment of the new president, the various governing and advisory bodies have also been updated.
Don Roberto Regoli is a Church historian and professor of Contemporary History at the Pontifical Gregorian University. In this institution, he directs the Department of Church History and the academic journal Archivium Historiae Pontificiae. He is the author of numerous studies and publications of international scope on the history of the papacy, the Roman Curia, and pontifical diplomacy between the 19th and 21st centuries.
End of Father Federico Lombardi’s term
The new president succeeds Father Federico Lombardi, 83 years old, who has held the position for the last decade. Lombardi assumed the presidency of the Foundation after concluding his tenure as director of the Holy See Press Office, a role he also held for ten years.
In a note issued on the occasion of the handover, Don Regoli expressly thanks his predecessor for his work, highlighting his role as a public figure of the Foundation and his contribution to the development of institutional initiatives over these years.
Renewal of the institutional bodies
The official statement also announces the renewal of the Foundation’s various bodies. In the Board of Directors, the following continue as members: Monsignor Georg Gänswein, current apostolic nuncio in Lithuania and for years personal secretary to Benedict XVI; Professor Achim Buckenmaier; lawyer Francesca Bazoli; and Alberto Gasbarri, former administrative director of Vatican Radio and responsible for organizing apostolic journeys.
The Scientific Committee, whose members are appointed by the Pope, is composed of Cardinals Kurt Koch and Ángel Fernández Artime, as well as Archbishops Rino Fisichella and Bruno Forte, and Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer. In the Board of Auditors, the presidency corresponds to Aurelio Ingrassia, appointed by the Secretariat for the Economy, accompanied by Andrea Filippi and Giuseppe Mascarucci, designated by the Secretariat of State.
With the renewal, among others, Cardinals Gianfranco Ravasi and Luis Ladaria conclude their terms as members of the Scientific Committee, as well as some members of the Board of Directors and the Board of Auditors.
Preparation for the centenary of Benedict XVI
Don Regoli has stated that the Foundation now faces a new five-year period marked by the organization of the celebrations for the centenary of Joseph Ratzinger’s birth (1927-2027). For months, work has been underway on programming congresses, publications, exhibitions, and cultural events that will take place in various countries.
The new president has emphasized that the theological work and magisterium of Benedict XVI continue to be the subject of study and reflection in academic and pastoral spheres, and that the Foundation will continue to promote their knowledge and dissemination, with special attention to new generations.