Pope Leo appoints first woman to lead Pontifical Mission Societies

Pope Leo XIV appointed Sister Mary Teresa Barron on Oct. 8 as adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, making her the first woman to serve as president of the Pontifical Mission Societies.

She will begin her new duties Jan. 4, 2027, in the dicastery’s Section for First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches, according to the Vatican’s announcement. The section supports evangelization and the growth of the faith in mission territories.

“Throughout my life as a missionary and Religious sister, I have sought simply to respond to God's call wherever it has led me. This appointment was completely unexpected, and I accept it in the same spirit of service that has guided my vocation from the very beginning,” she said in an Oct. 8 statement published by her congregation.

A native of Donegal, Ireland, Sister Barron has served as superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles since 2018. She previously worked as a missionary in Nigeria and Tanzania, where her ministry included education, parish work, youth outreach, support for women, and programs addressing HIV and AIDS, according to her congregation.

Pope Francis named her a member of the dicastery’s evangelization section in June 2024. Pope Leo appointed her a consultor to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in January 2026, her congregation noted.

She holds master’s degrees in public healthcare administration and international development from institutions in Dublin. She served as president of the Service of Documentation and Study on Global Mission from 2022 to 2025 and the International Union of Superiors General from 2023 to 2025.

Sister Barron is known for her support of discussing what is occurring when women feel a calling to the priesthood while also looking at what other ministries and leadership roles are available. She noted at an Oct. 7, 2024, press briefing at the Synod on Synodality that the topic of ordination was not being discussed at the time and that Catholics are often not aware of what other leadership options exist for women in the Church.

Regarding women and the clerical state, she said, “I think we have to look at the question very much from … the Spirit. ‘Is the Spirit calling women?’ Because some women do sense a call to priesthood or diaconate.”

Concerning her recent appointment to the Pontifical Mission Societies, Sister Barron reflected on becoming the first woman entrusted with the role.

She said, “I see it as a recognition of the countless women, Religious and lay, who have dedicated their lives to proclaiming the Gospel and serving God's people in every corner of the world.”