Pope Leo Appoints First Lay Woman to a Top Position in Vatican
Maria Montserrat Alvarado will lead the communications department, overseeing the news site, radio station, press office, and more.

TL;DR
- Maria Montserrat Alvarado is appointed to lead the Vatican's communications department.
- She is the first nonreligious woman to be appointed prefect of a dicastery of the Holy See.
- Alvarado, currently president of EWTN News, begins her role on November 1st.
- Her appointment continues Pope Francis's initiative to boost female workforce participation in the Vatican.
- Pope Leo aims to reassess the effectiveness of ecclesial communication from a missionary perspective.