Under-Secretary for the Lay Faithful

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Linda Ghisoni was born in Cortemaggiore, Piacenza in 1965. She is married and the mother of two daughters.

She obtained the Vordiplom in philosophy and theology at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität in Tübingen (1991); a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University (1999); the diploma for Rotal Advocates from the Studium of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota (2002) and the diploma in administrative practice from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (1994).

At the Tribunals of First Instance and Appeal of the Diocese of Rome, she has worked as a notary (1997-1999), defender of the bond (1999-2002), auditor (2002-2005) and judge (2005-2017); with the Holy See she has served as deputy defender of the bond at the Tribunal of the Roman Rota (2003-2009), deputy commissioner for defense of the bond in causes for the dissolution of valid unconsummated marriages at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2006-2011) and, since November 2011, at the Tribunal of the Roman Rota.

From 2013 to 2016 she collaborated with the Pontifical Council for Laity in the field of specialist laity studies in the Church.

On 7 November 2017, Pope Francis appointed her as Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.

In 2018 she was appointed by the Holy Father as Consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Commissioner for the dissolution of marriages in favorem fidei.

She is the author of scientific publications in the field of Canon Law, and since 2011 she has been an invited lecturer at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

In 2022 the appointment of Undersecretary of the Dicastery was renewed by the Holy Father for another five-year term.