Pope Francis appoints Mrs. Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, as interim secretary of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development and as delegate of the Vatican Commission Covid-19.
For Vatican News
The Pope has appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli “to replace Monsignor Bruno Marie Duffé and Fr. Augusto Zampini, respectively, secretary and deputy secretary of the same Dicastery, who have returned to their dioceses.”
The Italian religious sister has been undersecretary of the Dicastery since March 2021.
According to the Holy See’s Press Office, Pope Francis “ordered that the governing team of the Vatican’s Covid-19 Commission be formed” by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery, Sister Alessandra Smerilli, and Father Fabio Baggio, Undersecretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section.
New role
Born in the Italian city of Vasto (Chieti) in 1974, Sister Smerilli has been Undersecretary of the Dicastery since March 2021, as well as coordinator of the Economic Working Group of the Vatican Commission Covid-19.
As secretary she takes the place of Mons. Bruno-Marie Duffé, who left the Dicastery in July, and as delegate of the working group, replaces Father Augusto Zampini. The latter also left the Dicastery and returned to serve in his native diocese in Argentina.
Grateful for the opportunity to serve
“I am grateful to the Holy Father,” Mr. Smerilli, “for the challenging task He has called me to take on, and I pray that the Lord will help me to honor this call with a spirit of obedience to the Church, with the humility, passion, creativity, and ability to listen that “My desire and commitment is to be able to serve the mission of the Church to the best of my ability, as long as the Pope deems it appropriate.”
After thanking her superiors, Ms. Smerilli said she was confident she could “count on the spirit of communion and collaboration of the entire Dicastery, as well as the many international partners collaborating with the Covid Commission, for the integral promotion of the person and the care for creation by promoting and developing those principles of the social doctrine of the Church to which Pope Francis constantly calls us to build a better world. “
New phase of the Commission’s work
A statement from Father Augusto Zampini was also posted on the Dicastery website.
“I am grateful to the Holy Father for entrusting me with the difficult task of coordinating the Vatican’s Covid-19 Commission and acting as Deputy Secretary of the Dicastery. Now that the Commission is ready to enter a new phase and in communion with my “I have asked Pope Francis for permission to return to my diocese. I trust that under the direction of Sister Alessandra Smerilli, the Commission will be able to continue the healing journey to help both people and the planet get out of this difficult situation.”