Pope Leo Appoints EWTN Executive as First Woman to Head Vatican Communications Department

Pope Leo has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, to lead the Vatican's Dicastery for Communications. Alvarado, a lay woman from Mexico City, will oversee the department responsible for the Vatican's news portal, radio station, newspaper and press office. She succeeds Paolo Ruffini, who has held the position since 2018.

The appointment marks the first time a woman has been named to head a Vatican department. According to the Vatican statement, Alvarado has led EWTN News since 2023 and will begin her new duties in November.

EWTN was founded in 1981 by Mother Angelica. The network has grown into a global media company that includes nearly a dozen television stations, a book publishing division, a newspaper and radio affiliates. Alvarado has worked at EWTN since 2001, according to the Vatican announcement.

The Dicastery for Communications was created in 2015 under Pope Francis as part of a reform that merged several previously separate Vatican media offices. Ruffini, the outgoing prefect, was the first layperson to hold the position when appointed in 2018.