The appointment marks a major step in Pope Francis’ aim to give women more leadership roles in governing the church.

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.

In a groundbreaking decision, Pope Francis has appointed the Italian missionary nun, Simona Brambilla, M.C., as prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Pope Francis this week made the novel decision to appoint the first-ever woman as prefect of a Vatican department, naming Italian Consolata Sister Simona Brambilla as head of the Dicastery for Religious.

Sister Brambilla, who trained as a nurse before entering religious life, was a missionary in Mozambique in the late 1990s.

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

Sister Simona Brambilla has been named prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, marking the first time a woman has held such a role in the Roman Curia.

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.

Italian nun Sister Simona Brambilla is now the prefect of the department responsible for all the Catholic Church's religious orders.

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.