Vatican: Salesian sister appointed undersecretary of Human Development

Sister Alessandra Smerilli

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis has appointed a leading economist, Sister Alessandra Smerilli from the Salesians of Don Bosco. as new undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development...

Established in January 2017, this Dicastery of the Roman Curia combined the work of four Pontifical Councils established following the Second Vatican Council: Justice and Peace, Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, and Cor Unum. Cardinal Peter Turkson was named its first Prefect. He ks assisted by a Secretary and at least one Undersecretary.

Born in Vasto, Italy, in 1974, Sister Smerilli has been assisting the Dicastery and the Vatican Commission for Covid-19 as coordinator of the Economy Taskforce. In her work she has underscored the importance of bringing together Gospel values and good economics, assisting the Holy See's commitment to ensure we emerge better from the crisis caused by the pandemic.

Sister Smerilli has a doctorate in Political Economy from La Sapienza University in Rome and a PhD in Economics from the University of East Anglia in Norwich. She is also Professor of Political Economy at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences "Auxilium" in Rome.

Her commitment to the Church has led her to be part of the Scientific and Organizing Committee of the 'Social Weeks' of Italy's Catholics. Since 2019 she has been a Councillor for Vatican City, and since March 2020 coordinator of the Economy Task Force of the Vatican Commission for Covid-19, established by Pope Francis.