Pope Leo appoints Sister Alessandra Smerilli as Prefect, Cardinal Fabio Baggio as Pro-Prefect, and Monsignor Jozef Barlaš as Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, with all three appointments taking effect on 1 September 2026.
Vatican News
Pope Leo has appointed new leaders for the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, naming Sister Alessandra Smerilli as Prefect, Cardinal Fabio Baggio as Pro-Prefect with special responsibility for the Laudato si’ Higher Education Centre, and Monsignor Jozef Barlaš as Secretary.
All three appointments were announced by the Holy See on Tuesday and will take effect on 1 September 2026.
Sister Alessandra Smerilli, a member of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, has served as Secretary of the Dicastery since 2021 and will now lead the department as its Prefect. She succeeds Cardinal Michael Czerny, who has been Prefect of the Dicastery since 2022.
Pope Leo has also appointed Cardinal Fabio Baggio, who has served as Under-Secretary of the Dicastery, as Pro-Prefect. In his new role, Cardinal Baggio has been entrusted with special responsibility for the Laudato si’ Higher Education Centre, reflecting the Holy See’s continued commitment to promoting integral human development inspired by care for creation.
Cardinal Baggio
At the same time, the Holy Father named Monsignor Jozef Barlaš, until now Under-Secretary of the Dicastery, as its new Secretary.
The appointments complete a new leadership team for the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Vatican department responsible for advancing the Church’s work in the areas of justice and peace, migration, health care, charity, care for creation, and the promotion of human dignity around the world.
Monsignor Jozef Barlaš
