Nun named to head Vatican dicastery, first woman in role

Until now secretary of this dicastery, which has around 40 Vatican officials, the nearly-60-year-old religious takes the place of Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, 77, who has headed the office since 2011.

The appointment of a woman to head a dicastery had been suggested two years ago by Pope Francis and is provided for in the Pope's new apostolic constitution, Praedicate Evangelium (2022).

Born in Monza in 1965, Simona Brambilla joined the Consolata Missionaries after graduating in nursing in 1986. She made her religious profession in 1991, and in 1998 obtained a degree in psychology from Rome's Gregorian University, followed by a doctorate.

In 1999, she moved to Mozambique, where she worked in youth ministry in a study center.

Professor of psychology at Rome's Gregorian University (2002-2006), she was general councillor of her community from 2005 to 2011. She was then elected superior general of this community, founded in 1910 and now present in Africa, America, Asia, and Europe.

In 2017, she was elected for a second six-year term.

Two years later, she was appointed member of the Vatican's Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, along with six other women. In October 2023, the nun was chosen to be secretary of this dicastery, which was already a first.

This latest appointment of a woman to a position of high responsibility in the Vatican joins others made by Francis during his pontificate.

Sister Nathalie Becquart's appointment as under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops in 2021 was one of the most significant. The French nun became the first woman to obtain the right to vote within this structure traditionally composed of bishops.

In the same year, the Pope appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli as 'number 2' of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, and Sister Raffaella Petrini as Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

The Argentinian pontiff also appointed three women to the dicastery that selects bishops.

Other appointments have included that of Barbara Jatta, in 2016, who became the first-ever director of the Vatican Museums.

Several women have been appointed to the position of undersecretary: Gabriella Gambino and Linda Ghisoni to the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life; Sister Carmen Ros Nortes to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life; Francesca Di Giovanni to the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.

In December 2022, the Pope announced in an interview that he would appoint a woman to head a dicastery “that will be vacant within two years.”

He assured that there was “no obstacle to a woman guiding a dicastery where a lay person can be prefect.” The new constitution of the Roman Curia, Praedicate Evangelium, makes provision for this.

For International Women's Day on March 8, 2023, the Vatican media released statistics on the presence of women in the Vatican, to mark the 10th anniversary of Francis' pontificate. While their presence increased slightly (23% of employees), only 5% of women held positions of high responsibility.

To assist Sister Simona Brambilla, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as pro-prefect. Born in 1960, this Spaniard stepped down from his position as head of the Salesians in July 2024. During the consistory of September 2023, this disciple of Don Bosco was created a cardinal even though he was a simple priest. Thus an appointment to the Roman Curia was anticipated.

These changes mark the departure of Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, who turns 78 in April. Since 2011, he has overseen religious communities around the world. He is one of the few prelates still overlapping between the pontificates of Benedict XVI and Francis.