Pope Francis has made history by appointing Sr. Simona Brambilla MC as the first woman to serve as prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
The 59-year-old Italian-born Consolata Missionary, who previously served as the dicastery’s secretary, will now oversee this key department within the Vatican’s curia.
Sr. Brambilla’s appointment follows the 2022 apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, which opened the door for lay people, including women, to assume leadership roles in the Church, breaking from the tradition that reserved such positions for bishops.
Pope Francis in the new appointment published on January 6 by the Vatican Press Office also appointed Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, former Rector Major of the Salesians, as pro-prefect of the dicastery.
Sr. Brambilla’s distinguished career includes serving as superior general of the Consolata Missionaries and as a delegate to both Rome Synods on Synodality. Her leadership marks another significant step in the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to empower women in high-ranking Church positions.
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