Vatican appoints woman as communications chief for the first time

Pope Leo named an executive with US Catholic media conglomerate EWTN ​as the new head of the ‌Vatican’s communications department on Tuesday, in the first appointment of a woman to the senior Church role, Reuters writes.

Maria Montserrat ​Alvarado, originally from Mexico City, will ​lead the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communications, a sprawling ⁠operation that oversees the Vatican’s news portal, ​radio station, newspaper and press office, among other ​entities.

As noted, she will start her duties in November.