(ANS –
Vatican City – April 18) – The Holy Father has appointed Sr. Alessandra Smerilli of the Daughter
of Mary Help of Christians as a member of the Vatican City State’s governing
council. Sr. Smerilli is professor of Political Economy at the Pontifical School
of Educational Sciences Auxilium, the Salesian Sisters’ university in Rome. The
appointment was announced through a press release of the Holy See on Wednesday,
April 17. Pope Francis’s decision was dated March 5.
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| Sr. Alessandra Smerilli with Pope Francis at the 2018 Synod of Bishops |
A note
from the Auxilium explains: “Her mandate is five years and is carried out
collegially together with other councilors who form the Pontifical Commission
for the Vatican City State. The council of state provides assistance in the
elaboration of the Vatican laws and in other matters of particular importance.”
The
Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State, composed of a general councilor
and five state councilors, is the body that exercises legislative power in the
Vatican City State. It is the dicastery that de facto administers the Vatican
City State, overseeing most public functions and representing the state on
behalf of the Pope.
Sr.
Alessandra Smerilli was born in Vasto in 1974 and graduated in economics from
the University of Roma Tre. She then specialized in political economics at the
Sapienza University of Rome and at the School of Economics of the East Anglia
University in Norwich, England.
In
addition to teaching on the Auxilium faculty, she holds teaching positions in
other university institutions, is a member of the scientific and organizing committee
of the Catholic Social Weeks, promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference, and
is one of the experts of the National Council of the Third Sector, a body
established at the Italian Ministry of Labor and Social Policies.
Last
October Sr. Smerilli participated as an auditor in the Synod of Bishops on “Young
people, faith, and vocational discernment.” In that synod the voice of the
young called for, among other things, greater consideration of women in
positions of responsibility within the Church.
Now the
Pope has called for Sr. Smerilli to take on a responsibility in which she will
bring her experience on the subject of economics.
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