The secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life has been elected superior general of the Schoenstatt Fathers, who are part of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement. Father Alexandre Awi Mello, 51, ISch, was ordained a Schoenstatt priest in 2001; Pope Francis named him secretary of the dicastery in 2017.

The beatification cause of Father Joseph Kentenich (1885-1968), the movement’s founder, was recently put on hold as abuse allegations are investigated.