Turning in the Vatican: First woman appointed as a diconus leader!

Turning in the Vatican: First woman appointed as a diconus leader!

Vatikanstadt, Italien - Rome, January 7, 2025 - A historical day for the Vatican: Pope Francis has for the first time appointed a woman in a top position of a Vatican authority. The Italian religious Simona Brambilla, 59 years old and former head of the consolata mission sisters, was appointed prefectist of the dicasterry for the institutes of consecrated life and the societies of apostolic life. This decision, which was announced on Monday, attracts great attention, because Brambilla is hierarchically above the newly appointed Pro Prefects, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, which is a remarkable innovation in the Vatican. Der Kirchenrechtler Matthias Pulte bezeichnete dies als „nicht einfach“ und wies darauf hin, dass die Konstellation zwischen Brambilla und Fernández potenzielle Probleme bergen könnte, da sie aus theologischer Sicht verschiedene Amtsdefinitionen repräsentieren.

a groundbreaking appointment

The appointment of Brambilla is a significant change in the Vatican hierarchy, since women have rarely been the highest offices within the Roman Curia. As a secretary of the dicaster, she was already active and, with her versatility - with training in nursing and a degree in psychology - brings valuable perspectives. Her commitment as a missionary in Mozambique and her many years of management experience in the order make you particularly suitable for this responsibility. This is considered a positive step by Pulte, since an religious is now responsible for questions of the religious communities, which reflects a perspective that a world clerician may not offer. The curia reform of 2022, which enables lay people to enter the highest offices of the Vatican, is now further consolidated by Brambilla's position and underlines an increasing opening of the church.

The appointment of women in leadership roles is part of a wider strategic realignment under Pope Francis, who tries to promote more diversity and inclusiveness within the church. Neben Brambilla gehören zu den hochrangigen Frauen im Vatikan auch Schwester Alessandra Smerilli und Schwester Nathalie Becquart, die in Schlüsselpositionen innerhalb der römischen Kurie tätig sind. Diese Entwicklungen zeigen, dass im Vatikan ein tiefgreifender Wandel stattfindet – ein Wandel, der das Bild der Kirche im 21. Jahrhundert prägen könnte, wie kathpress.at und Catholic News Agency Report.