Montse Alvarado to become first laywoman dean of Vatican communications

Montse Alvarado will assume the role of dean of the Vatican communications department on November 1. She is the first laywoman to hold this position.

Alvarado, who joined the EWTN Global Catholic Network in 2021, previously served as the president and chief operating officer of EWTN News In Depth. In an interview with Colm Flynn, Alvarado described her appointment as an unexpected surprise that she accepted with humility and gratitude. She stated that Pope Leo XIV contacted her personally regarding the appointment after following the Catholic News Agency on X.

Alvarado noted that while she once considered religious life and initially prioritized starting a family, she now views her work in media as her specific calling. She expressed that her new mission in Rome involves the responsibility of leading the world's most significant Catholic media office.