Pope Leo XIV has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, as the new Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, effective November 1, 2026.
Alvarado, a lay Catholic from Mexico, becomes the first non-religious woman to lead a dicastery in the Roman Curia.
Born in Mexico City, she holds degrees from Florida International University and George Washington University. From 2009 to 2023, she held senior positions at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in the United States, focusing on the defence of religious freedom and human dignity.
Since 2023, she has overseen EWTN News, the news division of the Eternal Word Television Network, managing content production in seven languages across television, radio, print, digital and social media platforms.
The appointment continues the reform of the Roman Curia started under Pope Francis, which has increasingly entrusted lay people, both men and women, with senior leadership roles in the Holy See.
