Vatican Appoints First Lay Woman as Head of Powerful Communications Department
मुख्य बातें
- •Pope Leo XIV appoints Maria Montserrat Alvarado, president of EWTN News, as prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, making her the first lay woman to head a Roman Curia dicastery.
- •Alvarado, born in Mexico City and educated in the United States, will assume her role on November 1, 2026.
- •The Dicastery for Communication oversees the Vatican’s global print, radio, and television services, as well as the Vatican Press Office.
- •The appointment aligns with Pope Francis’ reform agenda, which included appointing women to key positions to counter gender discrimination in the Church.
- •Sister Raffaella Petrini and Sister Simona Brambilla were previously appointed to high-ranking positions by Pope Francis in the final months of his papacy.
- •Alvarado’s leadership is expected to modernize the Vatican’s communication strategies in an increasingly digital world.
In a historic move, Pope Leo XIV has named Maria Montserrat Alvarado, a prominent Catholic media executive, as the new prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, marking the first time a lay woman has been appointed to head a department within the Roman Curia. The announcement, made on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, follows a Vatican statement confirming that Alvarado will assume her role on November 1, 2026.
