First woman named prefect of Vatican dicastery
January 06, 2025
» Continue to this story on Vatican News
CWN Editor's Note: Pope Francis has named Sister Simona Brambilla, an Italian Consolata missionary, as prefect of the Dicastery for Religious, making her the first woman to head a dicastery of the Roman Curia.
Sister Brambilla has been secretary of the dicastery since 2023, after having served as superior general of the Consolata missionaries. She replaces Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, who is retiring at the age of 77. She had been an important figure in the Synod on Synodality, serving on the Ordinary Council.
The Pope also appointed Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Religious, to serve with Sister Brambilla. Cardinal Fernandez, who was raised to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis in 2023, had been Rector Major of the Salesian order.
The appointment of a woman as prefect of a Vatican dicastery had become possible with the promulgation of the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium in 2022. Previously the top spots were reserved for bishops.
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: feedback -
Jan. 06, 2025 11:12 AM ET USA
This seems an attempt at tiptoeing towards women "ordination." Appointing laypersons to positions of authority in the Church creates instant conflict with Can. 274 §1: "Only clerics can obtain offices for whose exercise the power of orders or the power of ecclesiastical governance is required."
