The Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP) is pleased to share the news of the appointment of French Jesuit theologian Michel Fédou SJ to the Vatican's International Theological Commission. On 19 October 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed him for a five-year term, recognising his longstanding contribution to Christian theology and his work in the fields of patristics, dogmatic theology and Christology.

The International Theological Commission brings together theologians from different countries and theological traditions to study major doctrinal questions and advise the Holy See, particularly the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Fr Fédou joins two other Jesuits, Paul Béré SJ, and Bernhard Knorn SJ, among its 30 members. This appointment is also an opportunity to recognise the important contribution of Jesuit theologians to the intellectual and theological life of the Church.

On Monday, 19 October, Pope Leo XIV appointed Michel Fédou, SJ, as a member of the Vatican's International Theological Commission for a five-year term. This body of the Roman Curia is responsible for studying the most important doctrinal questions facing the Holy See, particularly those concerning the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. It is composed of theologians representing different theological traditions and nationalities.

Holding an agrégation in Classical Literature and a doctorate in theology, Fr Michel Fédou is a member of the Patristic Studies Department and co-director of the Chair of Ecumenical Theology at Facultés Loyola Paris, where he is Professor Emeritus. In 2022, he received the Ratzinger Prize, awarded annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to theology or, more broadly, to Christian culture. He is a member of the Saint-Ignatius Community in Paris.

Excerpts from an interview with Michel Fédou SJ, produced by the EOF Province

How did you receive this appointment?

[…] I naturally welcomed this appointment as a great sign of confidence. I must even admit that I was – and still am – somewhat overwhelmed by it. Although I do not yet know what tasks will lie ahead, I realise that we are being entrusted with a great responsibility. Indeed, our role is not only to assist the teaching authority of the Catholic Church (particularly the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith), but also to help members of the Church gain a deeper understanding of important questions in Christian theology.

In the past, for example, the Commission has produced documents on subjects such as "Christianity and the World Religions" (1997), "God the Trinity, Unity of Humankind" (2014), "Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church" (2018), and, most recently, "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour" (2025), published on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. As these examples show, these are matters of great importance. […]

What does this appointment mean to you?

[…] First and foremost, this appointment represents a recognition of the theological work to which I was called within the Society of Jesus and which I have been pursuing for around forty years. But, more broadly, it also represents an affirmation of the importance of theology within the apostolic mission of the Society.

In this respect, I am pleased that the Commission also includes other Jesuits. I am also aware that several Jesuits have served on this Commission before me, including my former professor Bernard Sesboüé and, more recently, Bernard Pottier. […]

Read the full interview

Fr Michel Fédou, SJ, was born in Lyon in 1952. In 2022, when presenting him with the Ratzinger Prize, Pope Francis described him as "a master of Christian theology". The French Jesuit, whose areas of specialisation include patristics, dogmatic theology and Christology, "has not confined himself to the past. His knowledge of the tradition of faith has nourished a lively and vibrant intellectual outlook", the Pope added.

Two other Jesuits have also joined the Commission, which has 30 members:

• Fr Paul Béré, SJ, a Burkinabé theologian and Dean of the Faculty of Biblical Sciences at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, part of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

• Fr Bernhard Knorn, SJ, Professor at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

With the renewal of the Commission's membership, Bernard Pottier SJ a Jesuit of the EOF Province, concludes his term as a member of the International Theological Commission.

We extend our warmest congratulations to all of them!