Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda is an Italian Jesuit and Pope Francis’ most trusted canonist who has played a significant role in shaping recent controversial Church reforms.

Born on July 5, 1942, in Rome, Ghirlanda has had a long and distinguished career closely associated with the Pontifical Gregorian University. He served as a professor of canon law at the university and later became its rector.

Pope Francis has come to depend on him for his canonical expertise, with some saying he has become the “intellectual powerhouse” driving many of Francis’ institutional legal reforms in recent years.

One of Ghirlanda’s most notable contributions has been his work on the reform of the Roman Curia. He provided the legal philosophy underpinning Pope Francis’ reforms, arguing for a maximalist interpretation of the roles open to lay people in Church governance. Ghirlanda controversially asserted that “the power of governance in the Church doesn’t come from the sacrament of Holy Orders, but from the canonical mission.” This position has sparked debate among theologians and canonists, with some arguing that it contradicts established Church teachings on the link between sacramental ordination and governance.

Ghirlanda’s influence extended to the constitutional reform of the Vatican City State, where his school of thought was evident in rooting all governing authority directly in the pope. He also played a crucial role in drafting the new constitution for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

In recognition of his contributions, Pope Francis elevated Ghirlanda to the rank of cardinal in 2022, despite his advanced age of 79 at the time. This appointment was seen as an endorsement of Ghirlanda’s canonical approach and his importance to the Pope’s vision of reform. He was one of the few men to be given a red hat as a priest without first being consecrated as a bishop.

Most recently, on June 19, 2023, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Ghirlanda the new cardinal patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. This position, which is responsible for the spiritual welfare of the order, is seen as both a reward for his work and a way to ensure his continued influence in interpreting the order’s new constitutional structure.

Although Ghirlanda was not explicitly mentioned as drafting specific changes to Opus Dei’s governance — changes that significantly altered the structure of the personal prelature in 2022 — his theological and canonical perspectives appear to have significantly influenced the overall direction of the reforms.

Ghirlanda also likely influenced recent reforms applied to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The changes explicitly promote liturgical renewal according to Vatican II and encourage inculturated liturgies. This orientation indirectly challenges the preference for the Vetus Ordo.

While there have been unconfirmed reports about Ghirlanda’s involvement in potential changes to conclave rules, both Ghirlanda and the Vatican press office have denied these claims.