Woman appointed to head major Vatican office

January 6, 2025 will remain a memorable date in the history of the Catholic Church as Simona Brambilla was appointed head of the Vatican’s dicastery for institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life.

While the place of women has always been a subject of debate within the Vatican, a woman has now reached this high level of responsibility.

In a decade of pontificate, the proportion of women holding positions in the Holy See and the Vatican State administration has risen from 19.2% to 23.4%, reports Vatican News, the Vatican’s official media outlet.

Since October 2023, the trained nurse has been the number two in this institution of the Roman Curia. From now on, she will have full authority over hundreds of thousands of religious men and women worldwide.

At the head of this dicastery, which is one of the most important in the Vatican, Italian nun Simona Brambilla, a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata, is responsible for all religious orders, from Jesuits and Franciscans to smaller, newer movements.

Sister Simona Brambilla, 59, succeeds Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, who has held the post since 2011.