THE PAPACY

Former Philippine Education Secretary Brother Armin Altamirano Luistro, F.S.C., has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as a member of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, according to a Vatican bulletin dated June 24, 2025.

Brother Luistro, who currently serves as the Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers), is the first Asian to hold this highest post in the global Lasallian community, a position he was elected to in 2022. This appointment marks another significant milestone for Filipino leadership within the global Catholic Church.

The Vatican press office bulletin explicitly stated, “The Holy Father has appointed the following as members of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life:…the Reverend Brother Armin Altamirano Luistro, superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.”

The Dicastery is a crucial Vatican office responsible for guiding and regulating the global practice of consecrated life, overseeing matters related to religious congregations and societies of apostolic life within the Catholic Church. Its mandate includes approving religious constitutions, establishing and merging religious orders, and handling disciplinary matters involving vowed members.

Prior to his current role as Superior General, Brother Luistro served as President of De La Salle Philippines and as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) under the late former President Benigno Aquino III, whose fourth death anniversary was commemorated on June 24. He was appointed to the DepEd post in 2010, becoming the second La Sallian brother to lead the country’s education agency.

Brother Luistro’s appointment comes a month after he led the De La Salle Brothers in a special audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on May 15, celebrating the 75th anniversary of St. John Baptist de La Salle being declared the patron of Christian teachers.

Other prominent figures newly appointed to the dicastery include Cardinals Arthur Roche, Cristóbal López Romero, Giorgio Marengo, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Jaime Spengler, among other archbishops, bishops, and religious superiors from various countries.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) confirmed Luistro’s appointment on Wednesday, June 25, echoing sentiments from La Salle Global and De La Salle University (DLSU) that his new role is a clear sign of the Church’s synodal path and a valuable contribution to consecrated life worldwide. According to Vatican data, the Catholic Church includes nearly 600,000 women religious, approximately 128,500 religious-order priests, and about 50,000 religious brothers.