Pope Leo XIV has appointed Italian Sister Alessandra Smerilli as the head of the Vatican office responsible for migrants, the environment, and development, marking his first significant appointment of a woman to the Holy See hierarchy. Smerilli, an economist, was previously the second-highest official within the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
She will replace Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is retiring this month upon reaching the age of 80. This appointment continues a pattern established by Pope Francis, who had also prioritized appointing women to senior leadership roles within the Holy See in response to calls for greater female participation in church decision-making.
In conjunction with Smerilli's appointment, Pope Leo XIV named Cardinal Fabio Baggio as a "pro-prefect" of the same office. Baggio currently serves as undersecretary. The Vatican reserves priesthood for men, and the dual appointment acknowledges that certain leadership roles may require an ordained priest and cardinal.
Cardinal Baggio has also been tasked with leading the Vatican’s Borgo Laudato Si environmental educational center, located in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. The Catholic Church has faced ongoing criticism regarding the perceived secondary status of women, despite their significant contributions to the church's work in areas such as education, healthcare, and faith transmission.