Pope Leo XIV has appointed María Montserrat Alvarado, currently President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication. She will take up her office in November 2026, succeeding Paolo Ruffini, who was appointed by Pope Francis in 2018 as the first lay prefect of a dicastery of the Roman Curia and who will celebrate his 70th birthday next October. Ms Alvarado is the first lay woman to be appointed prefect of a dicastery of the Holy See.
Born in Mexico City, she holds degrees from Florida International University and The George Washington University. From 2009 to 2023, she held leadership positions at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Since 2023, she has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, the news division of Eternal Word Television Network, where she oversees international media platforms producing content in seven languages across television, print, radio, digital media and social media.
Our President General, Mónica Santamarina, shares a few words on this important announcement:
“The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations welcomes with joy and hope the appointment of María Montserrat Alvarado as the first lay woman to serve as prefect of a dicastery of the Holy See: the Dicastery for Communication.
We thank Pope Leo XIV, who, through this decision, continues the path initiated by Pope Francis by entrusting lay faithful, both women and men, with positions of leadership in service to the universal Church.
We join in prayer that the Holy Spirit may enlighten the new prefect in this important mission, which she will begin in November. We trust that this appointment will serve as an important precedent for greater participation of lay women and men in positions of responsibility within the Church at every level, in co-responsibility with the other members of the People of God.”
This step reaffirms the commitment to, and importance of, fostering a communication that is both disarmed and disarming, capable of building bridges of hope through dialogue and peace.
WUCWO Communication Office
