Christian World | Montserrat Alvarado, former president of EWTN News, succeeds Paolo Ruffini on November 1 as the first laywoman to lead a Vatican dicastery, Vatican News says

ACW | October 31, 2026 — Montserrat Alvarado, former president of EWTN News, takes charge of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication on Sunday, November 1, succeeding Paolo Ruffini, Vatican News reported.

Staff of the dicastery said farewell to Ruffini on Friday, October 30, according to Vatican News. Ruffini told them he would "carry you in my heart."

Pope Leo XIV named Alvarado to the post on June 2. Vatican News described her as the first non-religious woman to be appointed prefect of a Holy See dicastery.

Born in Mexico City, Alvarado worked at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty from 2009 to 2023 and has since served as president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, Vatican News said.

Background: Pope Francis appointed Ruffini in 2018 as the first lay prefect of a Roman Curia dicastery. Ruffini turned 70, the retirement age, in October and led the office for eight years, Vatican News said.

Why it matters: Alvarado is the first laywoman to lead one of the Holy See's dicasteries, according to Vatican News, and she spent 14 years at the Becket Fund working on religious freedom and human dignity.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Vatican News — Dicastery for Communication bids farewell to Dr. Ruffini; Vatican News — Pope names Maria Montserrat Alvarado Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication

Photo: Vatican News