Pope Francis has appointed Italian nun Sister Simona Brambila as the head of a major department within the Holy See’s Roman Curia, marking the first time a woman has taken on such a role.
This groundbreaking appointment aligns with Pope Francis’ ongoing reforms aimed at giving women greater leadership responsibilities in the governance of the Catholic Church.
Sister Brambila’s appointment was made possible by a 2022 reform of the Vatican’s founding constitution, which allows laypeople, including women, to head dicasteries and serve as prefects.
The department Sister Brambila now leads is the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, one of the Vatican’s most significant offices. It oversees all religious orders, from the Jesuits and Franciscans to smaller, newer movements.
Before her appointment, Sister Brambila, a trained nurse, worked as a missionary in Mozambique and led her order, the Consolata Missionaries, from 2011 to 2023. Pope Francis later appointed her as secretary of the Department for Religious Orders.
Women have long played a crucial role in the Catholic Church’s schools, hospitals, and faith instruction, but have faced a historically secondary status in an institution that reserves priesthood for men. However, under Pope Francis’ leadership, the number of women in Vatican leadership roles has steadily increased, rising from 19.3% in 2013 to 23.4% today, with women comprising 26% of the Roman Curia workforce.
