For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, a woman will head a Vatican dicastery

For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, a woman becomes head of a Vatican dicastery. This morning Sister Simona Brambilla, MC, was appointed by Pope Francis as the new Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. The Italian nun was until now secretary of the dicastery.

Likewise, the Holy Father has appointed Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, who was Rector Major of the Salesians, Proprefect of the same dicastery.

Sister Brambilla succeeds Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, 77, who has headed the aforementioned dicastery since 2011.

Sister Brambilla was born in Monza (Italy) in 1965. After graduating as a professional nurse in 1986, in 1988 she entered the Missionaries of the Consolata Institute, where she made her first religious profession in 1991.

In 1998 he obtained a bachelor’s degree from the Institute of Psychology of the Pontifical Gregorian University. After her perpetual profession, she was a missionary in Mozambique in 1999.

Between 2002 and 2006 she was a professor at the Institute of Psychology of the Pontifical Gregorian University. From 2005 to 2011 she was General Councilor of the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of La Consolata. In 2011 she was elected Superior General of the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata Institute, and re-elected in 2017, until May 2023.

Why was Cardinal Artime appointed Proprefect?

The appointment of Cardinal Artime – who is a bishop – was necessary because Sister Simona Brambilla lacks the power of the priestly order, necessary to perform some functions of the powers of government in the Church.

Cardinal Artime was born on August 21, 1960 in Gozón-Luanco, Spain. He entered the Salesians in 1978 and was ordained a priest on July 4, 1987. He later obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Pastoral Theology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and Pedagogy from the University of Valladolid.

In the Salesian Congregation in 2009 he was named Superior of the Argentine South Province. On December 23, 2013 he was named Superior of the Province of Mediterranean Spain and on March 25, 2014 he was elected by the XXVII General Chapter Rector Major of the Salesian Congregation.

On March 11, 2020, Rector Major of the Salesians was confirmed until 2026.

Pope Francis created him Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church in the consistory of September 30, 2023, with the diaconate of Saint Mary Help of Christians in Via Tuscolana.

Pope Francis himself assigned him the titular see of Ursona on March 5, 2024, with archiepiscopal dignity, and he was consecrated archbishop on April 20 of the same year.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in ACI Press