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