Pope names first woman prefect of Vatican office, with cardinal as pro-prefect

ROME – Pope Francis this week made the novel decision to appoint the first-ever woman as prefect of a Vatican department, naming Italian Consolata Sister Simona Brambilla as head of the Dicastery for Religious.

While several women serve in other important roles in the Vatican, including secretaries and undersecretaries of departments, with her appointment, Brambilla, 59, has become the first-ever woman to lead a Vatican dicastery.

However, in the Vatican’s Jan. 6 announcement of her appointment...