ChurchPOP editor-in-chief Ursula Murua to succeed Montse Alvarado as president of EWTN News

Ursula Murua, EWTN News’ director of digital strategy and editor-in-chief of its digital brand ChurchPOP, will become president of EWTN News on Nov. 1, EWTN announced Oct. 9 in a press release.

A 30-year veteran of Catholic journalism, Murua will succeed Montse Alvarado, whom Pope Leo XIV named prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, effective Nov. 1, according to the release. Alvarado has been EWTN News’ president since 2023, during which time the operation unified its international news brands and launched EWTNNews.com.

Murua’s Catholic media career began at the Spanish-language news service ACI Prensa, where, at age 20, she covered a talk by EWTN foundress Mother Angelica during a visit to Peru. 

EWTN Chairman and CEO Michael Warsaw described the connection as providential.

“Mother could not have known that one of the young women listening to her would someday help take that same message around the world and eventually be entrusted with leading one of the divisions of the apostolate she founded,” Warsaw wrote in a staff memo, according to EWTN.

CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt took to X Oct. 9 to congratulate Murua, a friend and former colleague.

“She is not only a phenomenal human being, but one of the most talented digital evangelists you could ever meet,” Reinhardt said. “Congratulations to @EWTNews on a pick that would make Mother Angelica proud.”

Murua has held leadership roles across EWTN’s digital, editorial, and broadcast operations, helping launch its social media presence and overseeing digital coverage of three papal conclaves and other major Church events.

In January, EWTN brought Catholic News Agency and the ACI Group together, forming EWTN News. The Spanish and Portuguese-language versions of EWTNNews.com will be launched in the future.

“I have had the extraordinary privilege of watching Catholic media transform from radio and broadcast to websites, social media and mobile platforms, and now confront the challenge and promise of artificial intelligence as we seek new ways to reach people around the world," Murua said in the release.

According to Murua, the mission behind the work has stayed the same.

“People are hungry for truth, for meaning and ultimately for Christ,” she explained. “Our responsibility is to understand where they are, how they are searching and how we can faithfully meet them there.”

Alvarado said Murua will continue to expand EWTN News’ methods of reaching audiences online while staying faithful to the principles of Gospel-rooted journalism.

 “I have watched Ursula devote particular attention to understanding audiences at every point in their journey of faith, from deeply engaged Catholics to people encountering the Church, or even the Gospel, for the first time,” Alvarado said in the release. “That audience-centered approach has shaped EWTN News' digital strategy and offers a powerful model for how digital missionary discipleship can be done well.”

EWTN Global Catholic Network CEO and Board Chairman Michael Warsaw said in the release that Murua’s experience and understanding of audiences positions her well for this role in EWTN News’ future.

"Ursula understands both the mission of EWTN and the rapidly changing ways people encounter news, faith, and one another," Warsaw remarked. "She has helped shape the digital transformation of EWTN News from within while remaining deeply committed to the truth of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church.”