Pope appoints laywoman to high Vatican position for the first time

On June 2, 2026, the Vatican officially announced the appointment of Maria Montserrat "Montse" Alvarado as prefect of the Dicastery for Communication. This decision marked a new milestone in the reform of the Roman Curia: for the first time in history, a laywoman will head a department with the rank of prefect. This is reported by Life Site News.

Alvarado will take office on November 1. Previously, she worked as president and chief operating officer of the conservative Catholic holding company EWTN News. Alvarado herself called her appointment "unexpected" but expressed her desire to serve the pontiff.

EWTN CEO Michael Warsaw noted her experience in the digital sphere and "deep fidelity to Church teaching," emphasizing the significance of this step for the Vatican's expansion into new media platforms.

Alvarado's appointment became a landmark event, as the EWTN holding company had previously openly criticized the Holy See's course. In 2021, Pope Francis during one of his meetings essentially called the activities of this television network "the devil's work," accusing journalists of "constant slander against the pope." The current pontiff Leo XIV not only confirmed his predecessor's liberal course on allowing laypeople into management but also placed the management of the information agenda in the hands of former Vatican opponents.

As SPJ reported, the pope appointed a pro-LGBT archbishop as secretary of the department for clergy affairs.

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