Pope Francis appointed a new secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The Dicastery coordinates and promotes initiatives on delicate issues, like poverty, the economy, the environment and migration.
Now this 46-year-old religious sister will be responsible for coordinating all these tasks.
SR. ALESSANDRA SMERILLI, F.M.A.
“In this pandemic, we are all in the same boat. If we don't understand this, then we won't make it out of the pandemic. Take vaccines, for instance. If vaccines don't reach every part of the world, then we won't make it out of this situation.”
Sr. Alessandra Smerilli is replacing two people. One of them is Fr. Bruno Marie Duffé, who was the Dicastery's secretary until July. The French priest is an expert in inernational cooperation and social ethics. He returned to Lyon in July after his 70th birthday.
FR. BRUNO MARIE DUFFÉ
Secretary, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
“Migrants are not primarily migrants, but people, persons, persons on the move, persons in migration, with a personal history, a personal memory, a land and dignity.”
The other person Sr. Alessandra Smerilli is replacing is adjunct secretary, Fr. Augusto Zampini, who studied in Argentina and the United Kingdom. He is an expert in economics and environmental ethics. He too is leaving Rome.
Fr. Duffé and Fr. Zampini are also leaving the Vatican Covid-19 Commission, which is led by Cardinal Peter Turkson. Pope Francis established the Commission to help rebuild in the wake of the pandemic. Sr. Alessandra Smerilli and Fr. Fabio Baggio, who coordinates the Dicastery's Migrants and Refugees department, will replace the two priests.
These are the Dicastery's first big decisions since Cardinal Blase Cupich visited the office at the Pope's request in June and July. The goal of the visit was to reorganize the Dicastery's structure.
JMB
TR: CT
