Pope Francis’ appointment of four women to the Holy See’s commission on child protection makes concrete his intention to give females positions of responsibility in the Church. Here a former ambassador to the Holy See, who is Lutheran, reflects on how ‘feminine genius’ can further Francis’ mission Five years as Swedish Ambassador to the Holy See have inspired in me, born and bred in a Lutheran Church, a profound respect and admiration for Catholicism. I am not thinking of diplomatic audiences in the magnificent Sala Regia, nor of Christmas and Easter Mass in St Peter’s, the art in the Vatican Museums or the priceless volumes in the Vatican Library, though all that cannot fail to impress the visitor deeply. Rather, I am thinking of the Catholic Church a