Pope Francis Appoints Sister Simona Brambilla as First Woman to Lead Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life

Jan 6, 2025, 12:57 PM

Pope Francis has appointed 59-year-old Sister Simona Brambilla, a Monza-born Italian nun and member of the Consolata Missionaries, as the first woman to head a major Vatican office, marking a significant step in his efforts to increase women's leadership roles within the Catholic Church. Brambilla will serve as the prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, which oversees all of the church's religious orders, including the Jesuits and Franciscans. She replaces the retiring Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz and will work alongside Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, who has been named as the pro-prefect. The appointment of Brambilla to this role is historic, as it is the first time a woman has been named prefect of a Vatican dicastery or congregation.