Who Is Simona Brambilla? First Female Prefect Of A Vatican Dicastery
Brambilla replaces Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz.
Sister Simona Brambilla is the first "minister" of the Vatican, the first woman to head a Dicastery, or department of the Vatican. Pope Francis has appointed her prefect for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
The pontiff has also appointed the the Salesian bishop Ángel Fernández Artime, 65, as Pro-Prefect. Fernandez Artime was raised to the cardinalate by Francis in the Consistory on September 30, 2023. With Brambilla's appointment, the number of women increases. in leadership positions in the Vatican.
Sister Brambilla succeeds Brazilian Cardinal João Bráz de Aviz, 77, who had headed the dicastery since 2011.
Sister Simona Brambilla is former superior general in Italy of the Missionaries of the Consolata. She served two terms as superior of the congregation from 2011 to May 2023.
She will turn 60 on March 27. She has experience in Vatican affairs, having served as secretary of the dicastery since October 7, 2023.
According to Vatican News, Sister Simona was once a missionary in Mozambique after obtaining a professional nursing diploma and entering the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata, which she later led. She has also studied psychology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, having obtained a doctorate in psychology in 2008.