Pope Leo names EWTN executive as first woman to lead Vatican communications

Pope Leo named an executive with U.S. 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.

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.

Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News since 2023, ⁠will ⁠replace Paolo Ruffini, who has been in the role since 2018 and is retiring. She will start her duties in November, said a statement.

The Eternal Word Television Network was launched by a nun named Mother ⁠Angelica in 1981, but has grown into a global media conglomerate with nearly a dozen TV stations, a book publishing division, a newspaper and radio affiliate.

The station often appeals to conservative ⁠U.S. ‌Catholics. President ‌Donald Trump has appeared ⁠on the network several ‌times and one of its top hosts is a Fox ⁠News contributor.

The network was ⁠an occasional critic of the ⁠late Pope Francis, who complained about it “bad-mouthing” him.