Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan has been appointed to the Powerful Roman Curia by Pope Paul VI, a move interpreted by many here and in Washington to be in keeping with the Holy Father’s pledge to internationalize this ruling body of the Church.

The archbishop was appointed to the Sacred Congregation of the Affairs of Religious and thus becomes one of the few American archbishops to serve on the 15 congregations of the Curia.

The Curia is to the international Church what the Chancery office is to the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

The Official Catholic Directory outlines the Congregation’s duty thusly:

“The Congregation decides those matters throughout the world which relate to the affairs of Religious, whether bound by simple or solemn vows and also of the secular third Orders, and whether the matters to be treated are between bishops and religious, or between religious themselves; it is also the competent tribunal in all causes when a religious is either defendant or complainant; finally to this Congregation is reserved the concession of dispensations from the common law for religious.”

Archbishop Donnellan has been serving on a committee for religious for the U.S. Bishops Conference.

The appointment will require that he travel to Rome for Congregation meetings.

Traditionally controlled by Italian prelates, the Curia has drawn criticism in the past from those who thought its membership should have a broader representation.