Who is the nun Pope Francis appointed to lead crucial Vatican department?

Amelia Monroe Carlson | 01/07/2025

It is no surprise Pope Francis has been an advocate for advancing the role of women in leadership positions of the Church. The recent move by the pope to appoint the first ever female to lead one major Vatican department should not come as a surprise to many Catholics.

Although the pope had to make an adjustment to ensure she had a male counterpart, since the position required a priest, Francis ensured that Sr. Simona Brambilla was able to hold the position.

Consolata Missionary Sr. Simona Brambilla will serve as prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life after the appointment by Pope Francis. For those unfamiliar with the departments of the Vatican, simply put it means she will lead that department that overseas all religious orders under the Vatican. The position also includes leading over a quarter of the Church’s priest worldwide.

Brambilla, having been named as the first woman to obtain the top position in an office in the Holy See, is a 59-year old nun that holds a doctorate in psychology and has served as a missionary and nurse. The Italian nun has served in Mozambique and has made history previously in the church when she was named the number two official of the curia in 2023 when she was appointed as the department’s secretary.

Brambilla will now be responsible for the Church’s 600,000 nuns and 129,000 Catholic priests who belong to a religious order. However, since the head of the department should be able to celebrate Mass and perform other sacramental functions, Francis named a co-leader to work alongside Brambilla. Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, a Salesian, will serve as co-leader with Brambilla to ensure all the Vatican’s I’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.

Brambilla was born in Monza, in Lombardy. She entered the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of Consolata in 1988 and made her first religious profession in 1991. She has led youth ministry as a missionary in Mozambique, taught classes at the Gregorian’s Institute of Psychology, and served as superior general of the woman’s branch of the Consolata Missionaries in 2011. She was also a participate hand selected by Pope Francis to participate in the 2023 Synod of Bishops on Synodality, perhaps indicating then that he had plans for her to hold a higher role.

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About the Author

Amelia Monroe Carlson

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Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.

During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.

After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.

Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.

Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.

She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.

To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.

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