Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Mario Grech to a congregation that vets the appointment of new bishops worldwide. 

The Vatican News reported that the Pope also nominated three women to the Dicastery for Bishops: Sr Raffaella Petrini (Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State), Sr Yvonne Reungoat (former Superior General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) and Maria Lia Zervino (President of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations).

This is the first time women have been appointed to the dicastery.

The nomination of Zervino also marks the first appointment ever of a laywoman to the congregation.

The dicastery oversees the work of most bishops who run dioceses around the world. Its members include cardinals, bishops - and now women - who meet to discuss the proposed new bishops. 

These are the other nominations: Cardinal Anders Arborelius, Cardinal Jose F Advincula, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Cardinal Arthur Roche, Cardinal-elect Lazzaro You Heung-sik, Cardinal-elect Jean-Marc Aveline, Cardinal-elect Oscar Cantoni, Bishop of Como (Italy), Archbishop Dražen Kutleša, Bishop Paul Desmond Tighe and Father Dom Donato Ogliari.