Pope Leo names Sister Alessandra Smerilli to lead Vatican integral human development dicastery

Pope Leo XIV appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli on June 30 to lead the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, making her the prefect of the Vatican office responsible for promoting the Church's social teaching and coordinating its work on issues including poverty, migration, health care, humanitarian crises, environmental stewardship, peace, and human dignity around the world.

The appointment takes effect Sept. 1. Sister Smerilli, a member of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, succeeds Cardinal Michael Czerny, who has led the office since 2022. An economist by training, Sister Smerilli joined the dicastery in 2021 while helping coordinate the Vatican's COVID-19 Commission and later became its secretary. 

She has helped oversee the department's day-to-day operations and restructuring. Established by Pope Francis in 2017, the dicastery combined four Vatican offices responsible for justice and peace, charitable aid, migration, and health care into a single department. It works with bishops' conferences and local churches around the world to advance the Church's social mission and promote the dignity of every human person.

In a statement released by the dicastery, Cardinal Czerny said Sister Smerilli's appointment recognizes her leadership. He praised her ability to combine "the critical rigor of an economist with the Salesian spirituality of caring for young people and those most in need."

Sister Smerilli said she appreciates the Pontiff’s demonstration of trust.

"I welcome this service with joy and willingness,” she remarked. “I am convinced that the Dicastery has a fundamental role in supporting the Church's evangelizing mission through listening, dialogue, and collaboration."

She also thanked Cardinal Czerny for his leadership and said she entrusted her new role "to Mary, so that she may guide me to live it with faithfulness, humility and a spirit of service."

Sister Smerilli is among the highest-ranking women in the Roman Curia, continuing the expansion of leadership roles for women begun under Pope Francis.

The Vatican also announced that Cardinal Fabio Baggio will become pro-prefect of the dicastery with special responsibility for the Laudato Si' Center for Higher Education, while Monsignor Jozef Barlaš will become secretary.