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Pope León XIV Names Mexican Executive to Lead Vatican Communications

The appointment places a laywoman at the head of a Vatican dicastery for the first time and signals continuity of Curia reforms in how the Holy See will shape its global messaging.

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La mexicana Montserrat Alvarado dirigirá la comunicación del Vaticano y será la primera mujer laica al frente de un dicasterio sin coprefecto. | Crédito: Vaticano/AP

Overview

  • The Vatican announced on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 that Pope León XIV has appointed María Montserrat Alvarado as prefect of the Dicastery for the Communication and she will formally take office on November 1, 2026.
  • Alvarado will replace Paolo Ruffini, who will retire at age 70 and has said he will work with her over coming months to ensure an orderly handover of responsibilities.
  • Alvarado is currently president and chief operating officer of EWTN News and previously held senior roles at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, giving her experience in both media management and legal advocacy.
  • The Dicastery for Communication coordinates Vatican News, Radio Vaticana, Vatican Media, the Holy See Press Office, L’Osservatore Romano and other publishing and audiovisual services, making its prefect influential in how the Holy See communicates worldwide.
  • The Vatican framed the choice as a continuation of reforms to expand roles for laity and women in the Roman Curia and observers will watch how Alvarado shapes messaging and editorial priorities during the early months of her tenure.