Seàn-Patrik Lovett
The appointment of Montse Alvarado as new Head of the Vatican's Communications Department came as very much of a surprise.
Such prestigious and politically important posts have traditionally been reserved for silver-haired, male, preferably Italian, career clerics, reared in the ranks of Vatican bureaucracy.
Montse Alvarado is none of the above.
An American citizen, born in Mexico, she turns 40 in November. Most importantly, she brings a wealth of experience from running the news department of EWTN – the global media network founded by Mother Angelica. During her tenure she managed to steer clear of the tensions that led to a somewhat strained relationship with the late Pope Francis, of whom EWTN was frequently critical.
Just to be clear, Ms. Alvarado's new responsibilities as Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication (because that's her official title) will include overseeing the various branches of the same: from the multi-linguistic Vatican Media (radio, television and newspaper), to the Vatican Publishing House and the Holy See Press Office.
Veteran Vatican journalists who've seen their fair share of Communication Heads come and go, already predict that the new Prefect's biggest challenge will be adapting to the quintessentially Italianate style of doing things – especially when she doesn't speak the language. At least not yet.
Change-seekers are hoping that the fact she is not Italian will work to her advantage, allowing her to give the Communications Dicastery a more international scope and identity. Expectations are that she will move forward with better coordinating and updating the resources of this tentacular media operation that employs over 500 staff members, all of whom have various skills and talents.
Another key issue will be the way she defines her personal relationship with Pope Leo XIV. Much of the Vatican's communications credibility derives from its proximity to the pope himself. Something that was definitely not the case with Pope Francis who preferred a more direct and “do it yourself” approach when dealing with the world outside the Vatican – an approach that often led to what were euphemistically called “misunderstandings”.
Again, veteran members of the Vatican press corps nostalgically recall the days of Spanish journalist, Joaquín Navarro-Valls, who was both Head of the Vatican Press Office and Papal Spokesperson (when such a role still existed). His informal daily meetings with Pope St. John Paul II, often over lunch or dinner, were a guarantee to journalists that any information they received came first-hand, unfiltered, and directly from the source.
All of the above aside, Montse Alvarado will undoubtedly bring her own vision and distinctive style of management to this new and extremely daunting role.
And, as one of those veteran and sometimes nostalgic Vatican journalists, I personally wish her loads of Irish luck!
