Pope Appoints First Lay Woman to Vatican Department

On 2 June 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado as Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See. She will become the first lay woman to head a dicastery of the Holy See and will assume office on 1 November 2026.

Dicastery for Communication

The Dicastery for Communication was established by Pope Francis in 2015 as part of the reform of the Roman Curia. It oversees Vatican News, Vatican Radio, L’Osservatore Romano, and the Holy See Press Office.

Roman Curia and Holy See

The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and assists the Pope in governing the Catholic Church. A dicastery is a department of the Roman Curia, and the term is used for major Vatican offices with specific administrative functions.

Maria Montserrat Alvarado

Maria Montserrat Alvarado is a Mexican-American Catholic media executive who grew up in Miami. Since 2023, she has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, where she oversaw global and multilingual news operations.

Important Facts for Exams

• Pope Leo XIV appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado on 2 June 2026.
• The Dicastery for Communication was created in 2015 by Pope Francis.
• Paolo Ruffini was the first lay prefect of a dicastery before this appointment.
• Alvarado is reported to be under 40 years of age at the time of appointment.

Vatican Media Structure

The Holy See Press Office handles official communications of the Vatican. Vatican News, Vatican Radio, and L’Osservatore Romano are among the principal media entities under the Dicastery for Communication.