Pope Francis has named the first woman to head a major Vatican office. ROME (AP) — Pope Francis on Monday named the first woman to head a major Vatican office, appointing an Italian nun, Sister Simona Brambilla, to become prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church's religious orders.

Sister Simona Brambilla was appointed as the prefect of a Vatican office that oversees religious orders, but she may not be alone at the top.

Appointment marks a major step in Francis’ aim to give women more leadership roles in governing Catholic Church

Pope Francis on Monday named the first woman to lead a major Vatican department, appointing an Italian sister to take charge of the office that oversees the world's Catholic religious orders.

Pope Francis on Monday named Sister Simona Brambilla the first female prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

The move marks a major step in Pope Francis’ aim to give women more leadership roles in the church, while standing firm on not allowing them to be ordained as priests.View on euronews

Pope Francis has appointed Sister Simona Brambilla, until now Secretary of the same institution, as Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the Vatican Press Office said Monday.