Originally published at The Catholic Thing
Pope Francis has named a woman to head a major Vatican office, appointing Sister Simona Brambilla as prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the department responsible for all the Church’s religious orders. The appointment marks a major step in Francis’ aim to give women more leadership roles in governing the Church. While women have been named to No. 2 spots in some Vatican offices, never before has a woman been named prefect of a dicastery or congregation of the Holy See’s Curia.
