Ursula Murua Will Lead EWTN News in November
The veteran media executive will take over the EWTN News presidency on November 1.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Catholicism
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Ursula Murua is set to become the new president of EWTN News starting November 1, 2026. She succeeds Montse Alvarado, who is transitioning to a high-level Vatican appointment.
Why it matters
The leadership change follows Montse Alvarado's appointment by Pope Leo XIV to serve as the prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, a role previously held by Paolo Ruffini.
Ursula Murua brings over 30 years of experience in Catholic media to the role. The EWTN Global Catholic Network currently serves 435 million television households across 160 countries.
The players
Ursula Murua
She is the incoming president of EWTN News who previously managed the organization's digital strategy and social media.
Montse Alvarado
She is the outgoing president and COO of EWTN News who is becoming the first woman who is not a religious sister to lead a Vatican dicastery.
Pope Leo XIV
He is the head of the Catholic Church who appointed Montse Alvarado to lead the Dicastery for Communication.
Paolo Ruffini
He is the predecessor whom Montse Alvarado will replace as the prefect of the Dicastery for Communication.
The details
EWTN management announced the transition to staff via an internal message after unifying the Catholic News Agency and ACI Group into a single identity. The organization is currently preparing to launch new Spanish- and Portuguese-language versions of its website to expand its global digital reach.
Timeline
Montse Alvarado joined EWTN in 2021.
Montse Alvarado became president and COO of EWTN News in 2023.
EWTN unified its news brands in January 2026.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Montse Alvarado to the Vatican post in June 2026.
Ursula Murua assumes the presidency of EWTN News on November 1, 2026.
Culture Shift
The transition reflects a modernization within the Catholic Church's communications arm, mirroring the structural evolution seen during the tenure of Paolo Ruffini. This move signals a broader shift toward integrating international digital expertise into traditional Vatican administration.
Viewers can expect expanded access to EWTN content as the network prepares to launch new Spanish- and Portuguese-language digital versions of its website. These changes will likely affect how international audiences engage with the network's reporting and broadcasts.
The takeaway
The appointment of a seasoned digital strategist to the top post highlights EWTN's ongoing push to modernize its global information distribution. Readers should look for expanded multi-language offerings as the network scales its digital footprint following the brand unification.
Further reading
For more on how these changes affect the landscape of religious media, visit our Catholicism section.
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