Salesian Mission Supports Millions of Displaced People

Salesian Mission Supports Millions of Displaced People

South Sudan’s 15 years of independence haven’t gone well

(ANS – Juba, South Sudan – July 9, 2026) – The anniversary of South Sudan’s independence isn’t cause for celebration; it’s a wake-up call. South Sudan became an independent state on July 9, 2011, but the long-awaited peace hasn’t materialized for the majority of the population. Violence, internal conflicts, food insecurity, floods, and a lack of essential services have forced millions of people to flee their homes.

Salesian missionaries are supporting displaced and vulnerable communities in places such as Tonj, Maridi, Kuajok, Wau, and Don Bosco Gumbo in Juba, as well as in neighboring Uganda at the Palabek refugee settlement, providing education, shelter, vocational formation, child and youth protection, humanitarian aid, and peace-building activities.

Ara Tena, a volunteer with Misiones Salesianas, the Salesian mission office in Madrid, sums up the Salesians’ work in the country as a presence that combines emergency relief with development. Misiones Salesianas is currently active in South Sudan, both in the field of development and in the humanitarian sphere, she explains.

At Don Bosco Gumbo, the Salesians have for years been supporting people displaced by the conflict, providing shelter, food, basic services, and assistance to particularly vulnerable individuals, such as single mothers, orphans, and the elderly. In recent months, they’ve also stepped up emergency aid in the refugee camp. “We have just completed an emergency operation in the Gumbo refugee camp, where we distributed plastic sheeting to cover tents and food supplies, as part of the ongoing support we have been providing for years,” adds Tena.

Alongside this humanitarian response, development projects aim to reduce dependence on aid and create opportunities for the future. In the Tonj area, Misiones Salesianas works with particularly vulnerable rural communities to improve their nutrition thru sustainable agriculture. The initiative also includes awareness-raising activities on Hansen’s disease (leprosy) and a peace-building component integrated into all Salesian projects in the country.

In Tonj and Maridi, the Salesian presence is focused on providing technical formation for young women. A similar facility already exists in Tonj, while in Maridi there are plans to build and equip a technical formation center specializing in cooking, food preservation, sewing, and dressmaking.

For Ara Tena, this type of work addresses a clear priority. “We believe it’s necessary to empower women, especially economically, so that they can generate their own income and improve their social status,” she says. In a country where gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched, vocational formation can pave the way to self-reliance for women and families living in situations of extreme vulnerability.

In Kuajok, too, the Madrid mission office, together with the Salesians of Don Bosco-BOSCOAID, has developed inclusive, equitable, and high-quality educational projects as a driving force for development and peace-building. Furthermore, the Salesian projects include a scholarship program for children that will support a thousand pupils from 10 selected Salesian schools in the country’s most deprived areas.

For displaced or vulnerable young people, returning to school means regaining a sense of routine, protection, trust, and a future. And for communities scarred by years of violence, education represents an investment in peace.

“We understand that everything we do for peace and peaceful coexistence is fundamental, because South Sudan is a country that has never known peace,” Ara Tena emphasizes.

The crisis in South Sudan is also having repercussions beyond its borders. In Uganda, the Palabek refugee settlement is home to nearly 100,000 people, most of whom come from neighboring South Sudan. Many arrived after fleeing with nothing but the clothes on their backs, having lost family members, homes, schools, and livelihoods.

In Palabek, the Salesians don’t just run projects: they live in close contact with the refugee population, and their work focuses on education, pastoral care, vocational formation, the protection of young people, and community support.

Salesian missionary Ubaldino “Uba” Andrade, who has been supporting the refugees in Palabek for years, points out that war leaves behind not only material destruction but also deep wounds in people’s hearts. “War is a destructive experience. It destroys not only homes but also hearts. Everything’s left behind; everything vanishes from one day to the next,” he explains.

15 years after independence, therefore, this young country needs stability, protection, and a future for its people. In Tonj, Maridi, Kuajok, Wau, Don Bosco Gumbo, and Palabek, supporting, educating, and standing alongside those who have lost almost everything is also a practical way of building peace.

Source: Misiones Salesianas

Editor's note: Between 2008 and 2021, some 2 dozen Salesian Missioners from New Rochelle have served the youngsters and families of Gumbo (Juba), Maridi, and Wau.

Castel Gandolfo's Pastor Hopes Pope Will Enjoy a Rest

Castel Gandolfo's Pastor: “We hope Pope Leo will enjoy true rest here”

(ANS – Castel Gandolfo, Italy – July 7, 2026) In an interview with Vatican News, the pastor of Castel Gandolfo, Polish Salesian Fr. Tadeusz Rozmus, expressed his hope that Pope Leo XIV will be able to enjoy a good summer holiday in the lakeside town. ”Our hope is that the Holy Father will be well here in Castel Gandolfo, that he may rest and accomplish what he has said is the purpose of his stay: prayer, rest, reading, and sports,” the Salesian pastor said. The Polish Salesian spoke about the first days of the Pope’s summer stay, recalled last year’s visit, and described the excitement of local residents at the Pope’s return to the apostolic palace.

The surprise of the Pope’s greeting

Fr. Tadeusz first expressed his gratitude because, in his first greeting from the balcony of the apostolic palace, Leo XIV addressed a personal greeting to the pastor and the parish community. It came as a complete surprise to him. “For me it was an enormous surprise. I saw it as a recognition of the importance of our pontifical parish. Although the Vatican institutions located here operate independently, under canon law the parish and its pastor have an important role. It was a very beautiful gesture by the Holy Father toward our entire community.”

A time for rest

The pastor suggested that Pope Leo’s stay this year has a different character from last year’s. The Pope had already announced that he wanted to spend this period in Castel Gandolfo as a genuine time of rest. “The Holy Father said clearly,” Fr. Rozmus recalled, “that he came here to pray, to rest, to devote himself to reading and to sports. We have no particular expectations; we simply want him to feel at home here and spend this time peacefully, according to his own wishes.”

That’s also true of the faithful, he remarked, who are especially looking forward with joy to the Angelus and to any other possible encounters that Pope Leo himself has indicated may take place.

Meetings that strengthened the bond

Fr. Tadeusz also spoke about the many occasions he has had to meet the Pope during his frequent visits to Castel Gandolfo over the past year. Almost every week, Pope Leo would travel to Villa Barberini on Monday afternoon and remain there until Tuesday evening.

As he left the residence, he would stop to greet the pilgrims gathered outside or speak with journalists.

As a pastor he remembered having the opportunity to exchange a few words with the Holy Father, pass on some information, or simply greet him. “They were very beautiful moments, during which one could truly sense his fatherly closeness,” he said, adding, “I hope this tradition will continue even after the summer holiday has ended.”

An unforgettable Mass and a gift from the Pope

Looking back to last year, to Pope Leo’s first summer as Pope, Fr. Rozmus recalled with deep emotion the first Mass the Holy Father celebrated at the Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova, on July 13. The small church was unable to accommodate all the faithful who wished to take part in the celebration.

What remains closest to the priest’s heart is the moment when the Pope addressed the parish directly and presented it with a special gift. “He gave us a beautiful liturgical chalice. (Photo above)  I had the honor of receiving it from his hands on behalf of the entire community, and I thanked him for this gesture. It will remain one of the most important moments of my priestly life.”

Memories of St. John Paul II

Continuing his reflections, Fr. Tadeusz explained that St. John Paul II holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Castel Gandolfo. The name of the saintly Pope constantly returns in the stories shared by parishioners. “On Sunday I saw people with tears in their eyes. Many were remembering their childhood, when the Popes came regularly to Castel Gandolfo. People spoke often about St. John Paul II. The residents simply say: ‘He was our Pope.’ And when they speak about him, you can truly sense their emotion. Leo XIV’s return brings those memories back to life and gives people the feeling that this beautiful papal tradition is continuing.”

Four centuries of the Popes’ presence

This year’s papal summer stay also coincides with an important anniversary, for 2026 marks the Church’s 400th anniversary of when the Popes began coming to the summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. The first Pope to do that was Urban VIII in 1626.

“Together with the diocese, the local authorities, and the parish, we are preparing celebrations for this anniversary,” Fr. Tadeusz concluded. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity to remember 4 centuries of the presence of Peter’s successors in Castel Gandolfo and to highlight the importance of this place in the history of the Church.”

Source: Vatican News

Salesians Begin Pastoral Work in Greece

The Salesians Begin Pastoral Work in Greece

(ANS – Syros, Greece – July 8, 2026) – In 2024 the first 3 Salesian pioneers arrived in Greece, thus marking the start of the Salesian mission in that country. In March 2026, the Rector Major, with the consent of the general council, entrusted the new Salesian presence on the Greek island of Syros, comprised of 4 missionaries, to the Salesian province of Slovenia (SLO).

On June 2, the Slovenian Province signed a cooperation agreement with the diocese of Syros, signed by the SLO provincial of, Fr. Peter Koncan, and the apostolic administrator of the diocese, Msgr. Sevastainos Rossolatos.

From July 1, therefore, the local Salesians officially took up their posts as parish priests, officially launching the pioneering Salesian mission on the Greek island of Syros.

On Sunday, July 5, the Salesian priests joyfully and publicly assumed leadership of 3 parishes: Fr. Oscar Tuscano, the director of the Greek Salesian community, became pastor of Vari; Fr. Rodil Lladones, vice director, took charge of the parish of Posidonia; while Fr. Marcin Wosiek, who is also responsible for youth ministry in the diocese, became pastor of Vissa.

The Salesians had already held their first meetings with the parish councils. “It was a wonderful opportunity to meet the local lay collaborators, the leaders of our parishes and those in charge of youth ministry,” Fr. Marcin added, also showing the Salesian logo in Greek, the meaning of which is not difficult to decipher.

In Greece, on this island in the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, the Salesians, in addition to carrying out their parish pastoral work, have also set themselves the aim of opening up new horizons for the development of the Salesian charism, for the good of young people and the Church.

Homily for Tuesday, Week 14 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Tuesday
Week 14 of Ordinary Time

July 7, 2026
Matt 9: 32-38
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

Jesus heals a mute man possessed by a demon
(James Tissot)

“His heart was moved with pity for them” (Matt 9: 36).

Last month our bishops consecrated the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  His heart feels for us.  For all our physical and intellectual gifts and achievements, nevertheless we’re often “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd” (9:36).  We need God’s love, shared with us by Jesus, to find peace and to be whole—like the people whom Jesus healed and even raised from death in our gospel readings yesterday (9:18-26) and today.

The Lord wants his disciples to work in his harvest (9:37-38).  That’s a shift in metaphor from looking after sheep.  But the thought’s the same:  Jesus wants our hearts to be open and tender like his, particularly to his sheep who are here around us.  He wants us, for example, to drive out the demon (9:32-33) of loneliness that a confrere may be feeling; or to dry up the anger that may be festering in someone like yesterday’s long-suffering woman who touched Jesus’ cloak (9:20-22).

In the collect we prayed God to “bestow eternal gladness” on us.  We have it in our power to bring a little gladness to our brothers and staff by letting our hearts care for them, imitating the healing power of Jesus our Lord.

Homily for 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

July 5, 2026
Zech 9: 9-10
Matt 11: 25-30
Villa Maria, Bronx
Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx

Jesus enters Jerusalem (Giotto)

“Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!  See, your king shall come to you; … meek, and riding on an ass…” (Zech 9: 9).

If you stand at the southeast corner of Central Park, you’ll see a majestic statue of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman astride a mighty horse.  Along Riverside Drive you can find Joan of Arc on horseback, wielding her sword.  In Jackson Square in front of New Orleans’ cathedral, Gen. Andrew Jackson’s waves his military hat astride a rearing stallion.  I don’t know how many generals perched on their horses you can find at Gettysburg or other battlefields.

No one depicts a mighty general ambling along on a donkey.

That would depict meekness, mildness, peaceableness, amiability.  And that’s the picture the prophet Zechariah presents to us of Israel’s king entering Jerusalem:  no more war chariots or warrior’s bows.  He shall rule a vast dominion in peace.

Jesus consciously adopted that image on Palm Sunday.  He images “the Lord gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, good to all and compassionate toward all his works” (Ps 145:8-9).  Recognizing that, the crowd on that Sunday hailed him:  “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt 21:9).

The crowd, as we know from the events of Good Friday, didn’t really grasp who Jesus is.  “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him” (Matt 11:27).  No one sees this revelation except the “little ones” (11:25) whose hearts and minds are open to a meek, mild, peaceable Savior; to those humble enuf to take up his yoke and learn from him, to accept the burden of his teachings (11:29-30).  The Lord’s way isn’t the way of the warrior, the way of power, the way of worldly wisdom; it’s the lowly way of service, of forgiveness, of care for the poor and downtrodden.  It’s the way of listening to Jesus’ Gospel, to his words whispered in our hearts.

God the Father used “the abasement of [his] Son” to “raise up a fallen world” (Collect).  The Son had to be brought low—right down into the world of the dead (“he descended into hell”)—in order that the Father could raise him up, and with him all death’s victims:  “the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, thru his Spirit that dwells in you” (Rom 8:11).  Jesus’ abasement was the living out of his meekness and humility of heart (Matt 11:29).  He shows us the path to the “eternal gladness” the Father has in mind for us (Collect).

Hope Takes Shape amid the Rubble

Hope Takes Shape amid the Rubble

(ANS – Caracas – July 2, 2026) – As Venezuela continues to face the devastating consequences of powerful earthquakes, the country’s Salesians and young people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) have mobilized to bring relief, comfort, and hope to those most affected.

Earlier this year, international attention was focused on Venezuela’s political developments. Today the country is once again making headlines following a natural disaster. Two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck the north-central region and the capital, Caracas, causing widespread destruction.

Among the hardest-hit areas is the state of La Guaira, about 13 miles from Caracas. According to official figures released by the Ministry of People’s Power for Communication, the disaster has claimed 1,943 lives [ed. note: since updated to at least 2,700], injured more than 10,500 people, directly affected over 22,000 residents, and left hundreds of buildings destroyed or severely damaged.

A nationwide network of solidarity

In response to the emergency, the Salesians and members of the Salesian Youth Movement have organized an extensive solidarity campaign, supported by Salesian schools, educational communities, and works thruout the country.

On July 1, volunteers began delivering assistance to the most severely affected communities. Before setting out, they gathered at the provincial house for a moment of Eucharistic adoration, praying for those who lost their lives, the injured, and the many families whose lives have been turned upside down by the earthquake.

The prayer service also served as a moment of spiritual preparation for those about to serve amid such suffering. At its conclusion, Fr. Jorge Elias Ghazal, provincial of the Salesians in Venezuela, encouraged the volunteers with words of faith and hope.

Discovering hope in the midst of suffering

Reflecting on the mystery of suffering, Fr. Ghazal acknowledged that some events remain beyond human understanding. “There are things for which we will never have an answer. Here we simply see the cross.”

At the same time, he urged the young volunteers not to be overwhelmed by pain, but to recognize God’s presence even in the darkest moments. “In the midst of all this, let us look to the future with hope. I am convinced that something good will come from this. From the  cross, God gave us the life of the resurrection. God wants to tell us something at this moment.”

The provincial also highlighted the extraordinary solidarity that has emerged thruout Venezuela during the emergency, with countless civic, ecclesial, and institutional initiatives supporting those in need. “Look at how much solidarity there is.”

Addressing the volunteers directly, he encouraged them to live this mission as a genuine encounter with God thru service to those who suffer. “Live this moment as an experience of God in the midst of pain. He is beside us, even when God seems silent.”

Recalling the Gospel account of Jesus calming the storm, he added: “God is with us in the midst of this difficult trial.”

Finally, he reminded the young people where the strength to persevere comes from: “He is the source of life, peace, and serenity. It is God who will give you the strength to live this experience.”

Hope becomes service

Following the prayer, the volunteers sorted and prepared donations received from Salesian schools and communities across the country before setting out in teams to different assistance centers. They distributed hot meals, medicine, drinking water, and essential supplies to families who had lost everything.

As Fr. Ghazal observed, this response reflects a twofold expression of solidarity: the generous mobilization of thousands of Venezuelans helping their fellow citizens, and the support received from international organizations and friends around the world.

Thru this commitment, the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement and the Salesians of Venezuela once again give concrete expression to Don Bosco’s charism by standing alongside young people and the most vulnerable, offering companionship, relief, and hope.

Amid rubble, grief, and uncertainty, their witness remains clear: hope stays alive when it is transformed into service. Sustained by faith, they continue their mission with the certainty that God walks with his people, even in their darkest hour.

Click here to join hands with the Salesians for the relief works in Venezuela.

Homily for Independence Day

Homily for Independence Day
Saturday, Week 13 of Ordinary Time

July 4, 2026
Proper Prayers
Amos 9: 11-15
Matt 9: 14-17
Provincial House, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Writing to his wife Abigail, John Adams predicted that Americans would celebrate the day in perpetuity

as the great Anniversary Festival.  It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever.^[1]

He was half right, because he was writing of July 2, the day on which the Second Continental Congress voted independence.  The cut-and-dried resolution of July 2, tho, was fleshed out and given immortal voice by Jefferson’s verbal, philosophical justification for it, the Declaration adopted on July 4 after much debate and amendment (see 1776), tho not signed except by John Hancock and the secretary, Charles Thomson, till a month later and beyond.

There’s an old saying that God looks after orphans, drunks, and the U.S.A.  No one’s sure of its origin.  Perhaps it sounds cynical.  But believers certainly may see God’s Providence in our history from colonial times—not only in the unlikely survival of Jamestown, Plymouth, St. Augustine, and the California missions but also in consideration of various failures like North Carolina’s Lost Colony, short-lived Spanish colonies in Georgia and South Carolina, and the Pueblo uprising in New Mexico—thru our Revolutionary War, which in military calculation we had no business winning, thru Civil War, and thru all the turmoil that you and I have lived thru:  the Cold War, the 60s, terrorism, economic confusion, Covid, etc.

The debate over the Declaration was most heated about slavery.  To keep the 13 colonies on the path to statehood, united, that had to be compromised—left for another day, continued division, and a long, bloody war.  Our prayers today acknowledge that “work still remains” to be done to make “us from many people to be one nation” and to “share [God’s] blessings with all the peoples of the earth” (Collect).

“The Lord proclaims peace to his people,” and “glory dwells in our land.”  Justice already walks here before the Lord (Ps 85:9,10,14), more than is found in most places on earth.  That’s why Lady Liberty’s torch still burns as a beacon calling people here from 4 continents, just as she summoned our parents and grandparents.  Here we can “pour new wine into fresh wineskins” (Matt 9:17), the new wine of freedom to worship God, to speak, to protest, to vote, to hold our rulers accountable as the Second Continental Congress did in July 1776.

It wasn’t easy to make the statement of independence a reality.  Later that summer, Washington’s army was almost destroyed on Long Island, escaping by a miracle of sorts, and it nearly withered away in Pennsylvania, saved by a surprise victory across the Delaware.  Later, the army nearly froze at Valley Forge and Morristown, narrowly escaped betrayal by our most brilliant general, but finally won with the help of France and Spain—and, as the Declaration itself states, “with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence.”

The British surrender at Yorktown
(Jonathan Trumbull)

That same trust gives us hope to work that Amos’s vision for Israel may be fulfilled among us:  abundance, restoration, rebuilding, security, peace and unity.  Christ’s “message lives on in our midst as our task for today and a promise for tomorrow” (Preface I).  We pray that “the unity and joy” of Christ’s people may “deepen our unity and intensify our joy, that all who believe in [God our Creator] may work together to build the city of lasting peace” (Postcommunion).

In his message to all Americans for this special anniversary, Pope Leo has challenged us:

For two and a half centuries, generations of Americans have worked together to carry [the] principles [of the Declaration] forward – through sacrifice, service, innovation and civic participation. This anniversary stands as an invitation not only to celebrate the nation’s remarkable journey, but also to reflect upon the responsibilities that the sons and daughters of this country bear to one another, and to the generations who will inherit the nation that is being shaped today.[2]

The Pope singled out human dignity, including this paragraph

Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning. In every generation, those who have arrived seeking freedom, opportunity and a place to belong have helped to shape the nation’s character. To receive them with compassion and generosity is not only an act of charity, but also a recognition of the dignity that belongs to every human person.

Love Is an Action
(Daniel Glass in South Sudan)

That’s not unlike what Jefferson wrote:  “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,” and people establish governments to secure those rights.

We, “drawn from the peoples of many lands” (Prayer over Gifts), want to secure the rights and dignity of all the brothers and sisters whom the Creator has given us.

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[1] Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, “Had a Declaration...” [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/

[2] Letter of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the United States of America.

New Phase for Salesian Representation at the U.N.

New Phase for the Salesian Representation at the U.N.

(ANS – Rome/New York – June 30, 2026) – In continuity with the Salesian Congregation’s commitment to advocacy for young people, especially those who are poorest and most vulnerable, Angelica “Vivi” Iglesias is the first layperson to be entrusted with the responsibilities of main representative of the Salesians of Don Bosco at the United Nations in New York. She takes forward the service previously carried out by Fr. Mathew Thomas Panamkattu, Fr. Thomas Pallithanam, and Fr. Thomas Brennan, who previously served in this role and helped develop the Salesian presence within the United Nations system in New York.

This handover marks both continuity and renewal in a mission that connects the experience of Salesian works on the ground with international reflection and decision-making on the rights, dignity, and future of young people.

Ms. Iglesias brings to this responsibility significant experience in Catholic advocacy, partnership-building, community engagement, and mission-driven leadership. She has worked with Catholic Relief Services, accompanying national partners, supporting advocacy initiatives, and coordinating campaigns in favor of vulnerable communities. Her previous service in the diocese of St. Petersburg, Fla., especially in Hispanic ministry and in support of diocesan leadership, has also given her broad experience in ecclesial coordination, intercultural communication, and pastoral service.

A Salesian Cooperator with long-standing links to the Salesian mission and to youth ministry, Ms. Iglesias will support the Salesian presence at the U.N. in New York thru relationship-building, networking, documentation, continuity, and collaboration with partners in the U.N. environment. Vivi joins the Salesians’ central advocacy team within the Youth Ministry Department under the guidance of the general councilor Fr. Rafael Bejarano, working thru Salesian Missions, the Congregation’s representative agency at the U.N., led by Fr. Michael Conway.

The Salesian presence at the U.N. in New York is one expression of a broader commitment that also includes engagement with the U.N. in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi, as well as with the European institutions in Brussels and UNESCO in Paris. Thru these presences, the Congregation seeks to bring the voices and experiences of young people, especially those most affected by poverty, exclusion, migration, conflict, lack of education, and social vulnerability, into dialog with institutions and partners working for the common good.

As this new phase begins, the Youth Ministry Department expresses gratitude to Fr. Panamkattu for his years of generous service in this field and welcomes Ms. Iglesias as she takes up this responsibility. The handover renews the commitment to make the Salesian voice present wherever the dignity, rights, and future of young people are at stake.

Postscript: On July 7, Mrs. Iglesias arrived in New Rochelle for a period of orientation to her new ministry. She and her husband are staying at the provincial house.

Salesian Sister Smerilli Appointed Prefect in the Roman Curia

Salesian Sister Smerilli Appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development

(ANS – Vatican – June 30, 2026) – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, the new prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DSSUI). Previously secretary of the same curial body, the Salesian sister takes on the post previously held by Cardinal Michael Czerny, who will turn 80 on July 18.

Pope Leo had said in the only interview he has given during the first year of his pontificate, with journalist Elise Allen, that he wished to “follow in the footsteps of Francis by appointing women to certain leadership roles at various levels within the life of the Church.” The Holy Father has reaffirmed this approach by appointing another woman to head a dicastery of the Roman Curia.

Third Female Prefect in the Roman Curia

This is Leo’s 2d appointment of a woman to a top-level role, following that of the prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, the young laywoman Montse Alvarado. Sr. Smerilli is the third female prefect in the Curia, however, following the appointment by Pope Francis of Sr. Simona Brambilla, who has been head of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life, since January 6, 2025. At the time, Francis accompanied this appointment with that of Cardinal Angel Fernández Artime, SDB, as pro-prefect of the Dicastery.

The same is now happening with Cardinal Fabio Baggio who – again according to today’s bulletin from the Holy See Press Office – is moving from the role of undersecretary for Integral Human Development to that of pro-prefect of the Dicastery, with special responsibility for the Laudato si’ Center for Higher Education. Baggio will therefore work alongside Prefect Smerilli. Both will take up their posts on September 1.

Work at the Vatican

An economist, academic, and lecturer at the Auxilium in Milan, committed to issues of social justice, the civil economy, and inclusion, Sr. Smerilli – born in Vasto, a graduate of Roma Tre University, and holder of a PhD in Economics from the United Kingdom – has been a Salesian sister (Daughter of Mary Help of Christians) since 1997 and has from the outset held positions of great importance within the Vatican’s extensive organizational structure. This began in 2019, when she was appointed councilor of the Vatican City State, and continued in 2020 when she was called upon to coordinate the economics section of the Vatican’s Covid-19 Task Force – the body established by the Pope to respond promptly and comprehensively to the health and socio-economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The commission was established and operated within the DSSUI, where Sr. Alessandra became undersecretary for the Faith and Development sector in 2021 and, a few months later, ad interim secretary; finally, in 2022, she was definitively appointed “secretary” (and not “female secretary,” as she has always been keen to point out).

The Dicastery’s massive undertaking

Over recent years, the nun has worked alongside Card. Czerny on the massive undertaking carried out by the dicastery, which in 2017 saw the merger of the Pontifical Councils Iustitia et Pax, Cor Unum, the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and the Pastoral Care of Health Workers, brought together with the sole aim of promoting the human person and the dignity of all. A sort of Ministry of Social Policies, therefore, with responsibilities in social, humanitarian, health, and environmental matters. Indeed, numerous projects have been implemented across the six continents under what is most commonly referred to as “Integral Development,” organized internally into 3 sections based on areas of expertise, in which many highly qualified female staff members work: Listening and Dialogue, Reflection and Research, Communication and Outreach.

Among the challenges and issues addressed by the dicastery – alongside the poor, the environment, humanitarian aid, disarmament, trade, migrants, finance, war, and justice – the issue of Artificial Intelligence has also been added in recent years. The DSSUI is, in fact, a member of the newly formed Inter-Dicasterial Commission for AI, established in May to facilitate the exchange of information and projects on this revolution of our time, to which Pope Leo dedicated the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.

Source: Vatican News