Vatican City: Pope Francis has appointed a Salesian nun as interim secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Vatican announced.
Sister Alessandra Smerilli replaces Monsignor Bruno Marie Duffé and Father Augusto Zampini, respectively secretary and assistant secretary of the Dicastery, both of whom have returned to their dioceses.”
In an August 26 statement, the Vatican said Sister Smerilli will also be a part of the management team of the Vatican’s Covid-19 Commission together with Cardinal Peter Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Scalabrinian Father Fabio Baggio, undersecretary of the Dicastery’s Migrants and Refugees Section.
According to the Vatican Press Office, Pope Francis has “ordered that management team of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission be composed” of Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery, Sister Alessandra Smerilli, and Father Fabio Baggio, Undersecretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section.
Born in the Italian town of Vasto (Chieti) in 1974, Sister Smerilli has been the Undersecretary of the Dicastery since March 2021, as well as coordinator of the Economic Taskforce of the Vatican Commission Covid-19.
“I am grateful to the Holy Father,” said Sister Smerilli, “for the challenging task he has called me to take on, and I pray the Lord will help me honor this call in a spirit of obedience to the Church, with the humility, passion, creativity and ability to listen that it requires. My desire and commitment are to be able to serve the mission of the Church to the best of my ability, for as long as the Pope sees fit.”
After thanking her superiors, Sister Smerilli said she was certain she could “count on the spirit of communion and collaboration of the entire Dicastery, as well as the many international partners who collaborate with the Covid Commission, for the integral promotion of the person and the care of creation by promoting and developing those principles of the Church’s social doctrine to which Pope Francis constantly calls us for the construction of a better world.”
“I am grateful to the Holy Father for entrusting me with the challenging task of coordinating the Vatican Covid-19 Commission and serving as the Dicastery’s assistant secretary. Now that the Commission is ready to enter a new phase, and in communion with my bishop, I have asked Pope Francis for permission to return to my Diocese. I am confident that under the leadership of Sister Alessandra Smerilli the Commission will be able to continue the healing journey to help both people and the planet out of this difficult situation.”
Source: vaticannews.va