Pope Francis has named Sister Simona Brambilla as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, marking the first time a woman has been appointed to lead a major Vatican department. The historic appointment was announced Monday, coinciding with the Church’s celebration of the Epiphany.
Sister Brambilla, a 59-year-old Italian and former superior general of the Consolata Missionaries, will oversee the Vatican department responsible for consecrated life in the Church. She will work alongside Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, who will serve as pro-prefect to assist with sacramental duties.
The appointment reflects Pope Francis’s broader commitment to increasing women’s roles in Church leadership. In 2022, the pope enacted reforms allowing laypeople, including women, to lead Vatican dicasteries, a position previously reserved for clergy. This decision builds on earlier efforts, such as appointing seven women to the Dicastery for Consecrated Life in 2019 and naming Sister Brambilla as secretary of the office before her elevation to prefect.
Francis’s reforms do not alter the Church’s teachings on ordination, which he has affirmed remains reserved for men. The pope has frequently emphasized the essential role of laypeople and consecrated women in the Church, rejecting “clericalism” that places undue emphasis on priestly ministry.
In a 2023 interview, Francis reiterated that holy orders are reserved for men but highlighted the unique and vital contributions of women in reflecting the Church as the bride of Christ. He explained that the absence of women in ordained ministry is not a deprivation but a reflection of their distinctive role in the Church’s mission.
Sister Brambilla’s appointment signals a significant step toward greater visibility for women in Church leadership, aligning with the pope’s vision for an inclusive but doctrinally faithful Catholic Church.
