Pope Francis Appoints First Woman to Lead Major Vatican Office

Sister Simona Brambilla will head the Dicastery for Religious Orders, marking a historic step for women's leadership in the Catholic Church.

Sister Simona Brambilla, a 59-year-old Italian nun, has been named prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, overseeing Catholic religious orders worldwide.
This appointment makes Brambilla the first woman to lead a major Vatican department, a position historically held by male clergy.
Brambilla's leadership will be complemented by Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as pro-prefect, a role addressing theological restrictions on women performing certain sacramental duties.
Pope Francis' 2022 reforms to the Vatican's constitution allowed laypeople, including women, to lead dicasteries, reflecting his broader push for inclusivity in Church governance.
The percentage of women in Vatican leadership roles has risen during Francis' papacy, though debates on female ordination and broader inclusion persist within the Church.