Sister Alessandra Smerilli will lead the Vatican's integral human development office, which promotes human dignity in all forums around the world, from health care to migration to environmental issues.
Sister Alessandra Smerilli, an Italian nun who has until now served as secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, has been appointed prefect of this Vatican group by Leo XIV. Her appointment takes effect September 1, 2026, the Holy See Press Office announced today.
She succeeds Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, who will turn 80 on July 18.
The 51-year-old Salesian of Don Bosco is the third woman to head a dicastery of the Roman Curia. Cardinal Fabio Baggio, currently the dicastery’s number three, has also been appointed pro-prefect with effect September 1.
Cardinal Fabio Baggio will have special responsibility for the Laudato si' Higher Education Centre. And Monsignor Jozef Barlaš was appointed as Secretary of the dicastery.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development is the Vatican department responsible for advancing the Church's work in the areas of justice and peace, migration, health care, charity, care for creation, and the promotion of human dignity around the world.
Sr. Alessandra joins two other women who are also prefects of Vatican dicasteries. There are 16 Vatican dicasteries.
Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV appointed Mexican-American María Montserrat Alvarado the new Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication.
And Italian nun Simona Brambilla, former superior general of the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata, was the first woman to be appointed a prefect of a dicastery of the Roman Curia. Named in January 2025, she is the head of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
