Pope Francis has named the first woman to head a major Vatican office

Pope Francis waves during the Angelus noon prayer on the occasion of the Epiphany day from the window of his studio overlooking St.Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, on January 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Pope Francis made history on January 6, 2025, by appointing Sister Simona Brambilla as the first woman to head a major Vatican office. Sister Brambilla, an Italian nun, will serve as prefect of the department overseeing all of the Catholic Church’s religious orders.

This significant appointment is part of Pope Francis’ efforts to increase the presence of women in leadership roles within the church. While women have previously held secondary positions in Vatican offices, this is the first time a woman has been appointed as prefect of a dicastery or congregation of the Holy See Curia.

Vatican Media confirmed the groundbreaking nature of Sister Brambilla’s appointment, emphasizing that she is the first woman prefect in the history of the Vatican.

The office Sister Brambilla will lead, officially known as the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, is responsible for overseeing all religious orders within the Catholic Church, from well-established orders like the Jesuits and Franciscans to newer movements.

In a move highlighting the uniqueness of the appointment, Pope Francis also named Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as a co-leader, or “pro-prefect,” of the department. This joint leadership structure is necessary due to theological considerations, as the prefect must be able to perform certain sacramental functions currently reserved for men.

Sister Brambilla, aged 59, is a member of the Consolata Missionaries order and previously served as the second-in-command in the religious orders department. She succeeds Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, who is retiring at the age of 77.

Pope Francis enabled Sister Brambilla’s appointment through a reform of the Holy See’s constitution in 2022, allowing laypeople, including women, to lead dicasteries and become prefects.

Prior to her new role, Sister Brambilla worked as a nurse on a mission in Mozambique and served as the superior of her Consolata order from 2011 to 2023. She was appointed as the secretary of the religious orders department by Pope Francis last year.

While Pope Francis has maintained the ban on female priests and has not supported the ordination of women as deacons, he has actively promoted the inclusion of women in leadership positions within the Catholic Church. The percentage of women working in the Vatican, including in leadership roles, has increased during his papacy, with statistics indicating a rise from 19.3% in 2013 to 23.4% currently. In the Curia alone, the percentage of women is 26%.

Notable women holding leadership positions in the Vatican include Sister Raffaella Petrini, the first female secretary general of the Vatican City State, and Barbara Jatta, a laywoman leading the Vatican Museums. Sister Alessandra Smerilli holds a prominent role in the Vatican development office, and Sister Nathalie Becquart serves as an under-secretary in the synod of bishops’ office.