Co-founder and senior advisor of The Lay Centre, Prof. Donna Orsuto had the special opportunity to greet Pope Leo XIV for the first time since his election during a recent Vatican gathering.
She was among the participants at the annual meeting of moderators from Associations of the Faithful, Ecclesial Movements, and New Communities, held June 4–6, 2025. Hosted by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, the event centered on the theme “Hope Lived and Proclaimed: The Gift of the Jubilee for Ecclesial Communities.”
The meeting featured keynote talks by Prof. Andrea Riccardi and Prof. Luigino Bruni, who explored the timely question, “What Challenges for Movements Today?” Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle also offered a powerful reflection titled “Rethinking Mission in the Light of Hope.”
Donna Orsuto contributed with her own keynote presentation, “Being People of Hope and the Formation of Members of Associations of the Lay Faithful, Ecclesial Movements, and New Communities.”
Looking back on the experience, she shared two moments that stood out for her. Firstly, the opportunity to
participate in such a well-organized and stimulating meeting that enabled participants to interact with one another in a synodal manner.
Second, she had the chance to hear Pope Leo XIV’s address—and meet him personally for the first time since his election. “Of course,” she said, “in that brief exchange, I mentioned that I had met him a year ago at The Lay Centre when he had celebrated Mass and had dinner with us all!”
Originally from Ashtabula, Ohio, Donna Orsuto has lived in Rome for nearly five decades. She currently serves as director of the Department of Moral Theology and Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where she has been teaching since 1990.
From the founding of The Lay Centre in 1986 until September 2024, she led the institution as its director. Today, she continues to support its mission as senior advisor and member of the board of directors.
Throughout the years, Prof. Orsuto has collaborated with various Vatican institutions in a range of roles. Most recently, on January 11, she was appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Photo: Vatican Media
