On June 30, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli, currently Secretary of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, as Prefect of that Dicastery; the appointment will take effect on September 1, 2026.
source: DSSUI
It is with great joy that we welcome the news of the appointment of Sister Alessandra Smerilli as Prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. Sister Alessandra Smerilli, a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians and an economist, has held increasingly prominent roles since March 24, 2021 within the Dicastery established by Pope Francis in 2017, which merged four previous Pontifical Councils (the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers): from Undersecretary for the Faith and Development Sector for a brief period of a few months, to Secretary ad interim of the same Dicastery as of August 24, 2021, until she was appointed Secretary by Pope Francis on April 23, 2022.
Pope Leo today reaffirms his confidence in Sister Alessandra by elevating her to the top position in the Dicastery, that of Prefect—the third woman to assume this role in the Roman Curia after Sister Simona Brambilla and the layperson Montserrat Alvarado. She will be joined in her role by Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery with special responsibility for the “Laudato si’” Center for Advanced Formation, and by the new Secretary, Monsignor Jozef Barlaš, who previously served as Undersecretary. Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., who has guided and supported the Dicastery as Prefect since 2022, stated:
“The appointment of Sister Alessandra as Prefect of this Dicastery is a recognition of her leadership. She combines the critical rigor of an economist with the Salesian spirituality of caring for young people and those most in need. Everyone appreciates her great willingness to help. She embodies a truly inclusive approach, ensuring that no one is left behind.”
The outgoing Prefect then highlighted Sister Alessandra’s fundamental contribution to the life of the Dicastery, first as coordinator of the COVID Commission and then, since 2022, as Secretary—“a role comparable to that of a CEO”—in completely rethinking and reorganizing its structure.
Sister Alessandra gratefully accepted her new assignment:
“I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Holy Father for the trust he has placed in me with this appointment. I accept this service with joy and willingness; I am convinced that the Dicastery plays a fundamental role in supporting the Church’s evangelizing mission through listening, dialogue, and collaboration.”
As the Economy of Communion network, we share in the joy of Sister Alessandra Smerilli, whom we have come to know and appreciate over the years for her academic contributions to economic theory on topics related to the EoC, such as Cooperation, the Rationality of the “We,” the economic theory of “ideal-driven organizations,” and the specific field of the economy of charisms.
Her research has helped articulate the principles of an economy based on the culture of giving, reciprocity, and inclusion, and thus has helped structure and disseminate the alternative economic models that the EoC promotes every day around the world; but we have also come to appreciate Sister Alessandra for the countless occasions on which she has actively participated in EoC conferences at the national and international levels, as well as for her contribution to the creation of new initiatives such as the School of Civil Economy—of which she is a co-founder—and The Economy of Francesco.
To Sister Alessandra, our most sincere best wishes for her new assignment: we are certain that, with her expertise and sensitivity, she will lead the Dicastery forward with the collaborative working style—rooted in listening, discernment, and dialogue with local Churches—that has taken shape in recent years, helping it grow in accordance with its specific mission, in constant dialogue with ecclesial communities and the peripheries of the world, walking alongside the least among us and working with them to remove obstacles to the development of the whole person and of all people, toward a genuine and shared social justice.
Photo Credit: © DSSUI