ROME. Pope Francis has appointed Sister Simona Brambilla 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.
Sister Simona Brambilla, a 59-year-old Italian nun, and member of the Consolata Missionaries religious order, will serve as the prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the department responsible for overseeing all Catholic religious orders. This office governs the world’s 600,000 Catholic nuns and 129,000 priests who belong to religious orders, making it one of the most important within the Vatican.
The Vatican Media described the appointment as unprecedented, headlining its report: “Sister Simona Brambilla is the first woman prefect in the Vatican.” This groundbreaking decision comes as part of Pope Francis’ ongoing reform efforts to broaden women’s roles in Vatican governance.
While women have held second-in-command positions in other Vatican offices, Brambilla is the first woman to lead a dicastery. Her appointment was made possible by the pope’s 2022 reform of the Holy See’s founding constitution, which allowed laypeople, including women, to head such departments.
Brambilla’s new role comes with significant challenges, including addressing the steady decline in the number of nuns worldwide. According to Vatican statistics, the number of Catholic nuns has dropped by approximately 10,000 annually, from 750,000 in 2010 to 600,000 in 2022.
Brambilla, a trained nurse and former missionary in Mozambique, previously served as the superior of her Consolata order from 2011 to 2023. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed her as secretary of the religious orders department, a role in which she gained valuable experience for her new position.
Brambilla’s appointment has been widely praised, though it also drew some criticism. Boston College theology professor Thomas Groome celebrated the milestone: “It should be a woman. Long ago it should have been, but thank God. It’s a small step, but symbolically, it shows an openness and a new horizon or possibility.”
Groome also suggested that nothing theologically prevents Pope Francis from naming Brambilla a cardinal, as cardinals are not required to be ordained priests. However, in an apparent compromise, Pope Francis simultaneously appointed a co-leader, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, as “pro-prefect.” This dual leadership reflects ongoing theological debates about women’s roles in the Catholic hierarchy.
Natalia Imperatori-Lee, chair of the religion and philosophy department at Manhattan University, expressed initial excitement but noted her disappointment about the co-prefect appointment. “One day, I pray, the church will see women for the capable leaders they already are. It’s ridiculous to think she needs help running a Vatican dicastery,” she remarked.
Brambilla’s appointment is part of a broader trend under Pope Francis, who has increased the percentage of women in Vatican leadership positions from 19.3% in 2013 to 23.4% today, with 26% of roles in the Curia held by women.
Other women in leadership include Sister Raffaella Petrini, secretary general of Vatican City State, and Barbara Jatta, the director of the Vatican Museums. Additionally, Sister Nathalie Becquart serves as under-secretary in the synod of the bishops’ office, and Sister Alessandra Smerilli holds the No. 2 position in the Vatican’s development office.
While Pope Francis has upheld the ban on the ordination of female priests and deacons, Brambilla’s appointment signals his commitment to expanding women’s influence in church governance.
This landmark decision marks a turning point in the Vatican’s history and sets a precedent for greater inclusion of women in positions of power within the Catholic Church.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
