Pope Leo XIV today appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, president and chief executive officer of EWTN News, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, effective November 2026. This marks the first time a laywoman, not a religious sister, has been appointed to lead a dicastery of the Holy See. Alvarado will succeed Paolo Ruffini, who was appointed by the late Pope Francis in 2018.

Alvarado was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and pursued her education at Florida International University and George Washington University. From 2009 to 2023, she held leadership positions at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, where she engaged in initiatives protecting religious freedom and human dignity. Since 2023, she has led EWTN News, part of the US-based Eternal Word Television Network cable channel.

Pope Leo XIV (left) and Maria Montserrat Alvarado. *Photo: Vatican Media*

According to Vatican News, this appointment by Pope Leo XIV continues the Roman Curia reform efforts initiated by the late Pope Francis. These reforms emphasize entrusting lay people, both men and women, with leadership positions to serve the Church.

The Dicastery for Communication was established by the late Pope Francis in 2015, responsible for the Holy See's communication system. In 2025, Pope Francis chose religious sister Simona Brambilla as Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, making her the first woman to head a dicastery of the Roman Curia.