By Kate Quiñones
CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 11:45 am
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has made significant strides in appointing and empowering women in leadership roles within the Vatican. Since taking office in 2013, the number of female employees in the Vatican has increased from about 850 to nearly 1,200 by 2023, as reported by Vatican News.
As of 2023, more than a quarter of the employees in the Roman Curia, the administrative body supporting the Pope, are women.
While advocating for greater opportunities for women in the Church, Pope Francis has upheld the traditional Catholic teaching that the priesthood is reserved for men. He has emphasized the importance of maintaining the balance between the masculine “Petrine principle” and the feminine “Marian principle” within the Church.
Despite this, Pope Francis has recognized the valuable contributions of women in various administrative roles within the Church. In a 2022 interview, he highlighted the dignity of women as reflecting the spousal and feminine nature of the Church.
In a groundbreaking move, in March 2022, the Pope decreed in Praedicate Evangelium (“Preach the Gospel”) that any member of the faithful could be eligible to lead a Vatican dicastery.
Furthermore, in 2023, women were included as voting members in a synod for the first time in Church history. The Pope also expanded opportunities for women to hold “full membership” roles in Vatican dicasteries, which were previously reserved for cardinals and bishops.
Welcome to the era of change and progress in the Vatican! In a historic move, Pope Francis appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as the first-ever woman to lead a Vatican dicastery. This groundbreaking decision marks a significant milestone in the Church’s history, reflecting the Pope’s commitment to empowering women in leadership roles.
Sister Simona Brambilla, a member of the Consolata Missionaries religious order, has taken on the role of Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. In this position, she oversees approximately 700,000 religious men and women worldwide. Brambilla brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having previously served as the Superior General of her order and as a missionary sister in Mozambique.
Pope Francis appointed Brambilla to the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod in December 2024, further recognizing her leadership potential. In a subsequent historic move, she became one of the first female members of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. This appointment, alongside six other women, demonstrates the Pope’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the Church.
After climbing the ranks, she eventually became the secretary of the dicastery.
In a 2024 interview, Brambilla reflected on her appointment as secretary, emphasizing the importance of the relationship between man and woman in fostering peace and harmony. She likened it to the idyllic image of God walking in the garden, looking for man and woman, his blessed image.
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Brambilla’s work alongside a cardinal who serves as pro-prefect marks a unique structure within the Holy See, as ordination is traditionally required for certain governing powers.
Pope Francis’ apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium in 2022 paved the way for laypeople, including women, to take on leadership roles in a dicastery, a position previously reserved for cardinals and archbishops.
Vatican City’s Trailblazing Female Governor
In early 2025, Pope Francis appointed Franciscan religious sister Raffaella Petrini as the president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and the governor of Vatican City State, making her the first woman to hold this prestigious position.
Petrini had previously served as the secretary of both institutions, overseeing various administrative functions in Vatican City since November 2021.
In her new role, Petrini directly reports to the pope, overseeing the Vatican budget and financial matters. As the president of the Governorate of Vatican City, she leads the executive body of the papal city and serves as the legislative authority of the city state.
