Missionary work of the Catholic Church has often been undertaken outside the geographically defined parishes and dioceses by religious orders who have people and material resources to spare, and some of which specialized in missions. Eventually, parishes and dioceses would be organized worldwide, often after an intermediate phase as an apostolic prefecture or apostolic vicariate . Catholic mission has predominantly been carried out by the Latin Church in practice.
157-780: In the Roman Curia , missionary work is organised by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples . The New Testament missionary outreach of the Christian church from the time of St Paul was extensive throughout the Roman Empire . During the Middle Ages, Christian monasteries and missionaries (such as Saint Patrick and Adalbert of Prague ) fostered formal education and learning of religion, beyond
314-671: A Franciscan sent to China to become prelate of Peking in around 1307. He traveled from Persia and moved down by sea to India in 1291, to the Madras region or "Country of St. Thomas". There he preached for thirteen months and baptized about one hundred people. From there Monte Corvino wrote home, in December 1291 (or 1292), giving one of the earliest noteworthy accounts of the Coromandel coast furnished by any Western European. Traveling by sea from Mailapur, he reached China in 1294, appearing in
471-742: A book about his travels entitled The Travels of Joseph the Indian which was widely disseminated across Europe. The introduction of Catholicism in India begins from the first decade of 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries there. In the 16th century, the proselytization of Asia was linked to the Portuguese colonial policy . With the Papal bull Romanus Pontifex written on 8 January 1455 by Pope Nicholas V to King Afonso V of Portugal ,
628-457: A case, including the approval of miracles , the case is presented to the pope, who decides whether or not to proceed with beatification or canonization. The dicastery establishes the canonical procedure to be followed to verify and declare the authenticity of sacred relics and to ensure their preservation. It is up to the dicastery to judge about the granting of the title of Doctor of the Church to
785-568: A century-long effort in translating the Chinese classics into Latin and spreading knowledge of Chinese culture and history in Europe, influencing its developing Enlightenment . The introduction of the Franciscans and other orders of missionaries, however, led to a long-running controversy over Chinese customs and names for God . The Jesuits, the secularized mandarins , and eventually
942-681: A dicastery or Body of the Roman Curia intends to publish a statement or document pertaining to international relations or relations with civil authorities. The current secretary for relations with states is Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher . The Section for the Diplomatic Staff of the Holy See deals with matters pertaining to persons serving in the diplomatic service of the Holy See, in particular their living and working conditions and their ongoing formation. In carrying out his duties,
1099-402: A great regard for Odoric, intervened and appointed a solemn funeral for the next day. Rumours of his travels and the posthumous miracles attributed to Odoric spread rapidly through the population. The ceremony had to be deferred more than once, and at last took place in presence of the patriarch of Aquileia and many local dignitaries. As public veneration for Odoric grew, the patriarch ordered
1256-424: A missionary and never alludes to any other capacity such as an ambassador or emissary. No records have been found to indicate whether he was sent by some ecclesiastical authority or simply received permission to undertake a journey of his own choosing. There is little chronological information regarding the exact sequence and duration of the stops on his travel. His narrative and other evidence only tells us that he
1413-493: A part of the Roman Curia in the strict sense: it is the expression of the collegiality of bishops in communion with the Pope and under his direction. The Roman Curia instead aids the Pope in the exercise of his primacy over all the churches ." The Curia was created by Pope Urban II (r. 1088–1099). Curia in medieval and later Latin usage means " court " in the sense of "royal court" rather than "court of law". The Roman Curia
1570-583: A payment of two marks from the city of Udine, recorded with the Latin notation, Socio beati Fratris Odorici, amore Dei et Odorici ('companion of the Blessed Brother Odoric, for the love of God and Odoric'). From Venice he first went to Constantinople and then crossed the Black Sea to Trebizond. From Trebizond he traveled southeast along the caravan route to Erzerum, Tabriz, and Soltania. It
1727-528: A percentage of the world's population. The current Person-in-charge is Monsignor Tomislav Ɖukez. Under the new constitution, all the Vatican's main departments are now known as "dicasteries". Along with removing the title "congregation" from Vatican departments, the new constitution renames pontifical councils as "dicasteries". The constitution says: "The Roman Curia is composed of the Secretariat of State,
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#17327718991411884-586: A period of Papal diplomatic missions that began nearly a century earlier when Mongols had entered Europe in the Mongol invasion of Europe . Between 1237 and 1238 they pillaged most of Russia, and by 1241 they had devastated Poland and Hungary. Then they suddenly retreated. At the First Council of Lyon , Pope Innocent IV organized the first missions to the Great Khan Tartary in 1245, entrusted to
2041-831: A saint, after having obtained the vote of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith about their eminent doctrine. The current prefect is Marcello Cardinal Semeraro . The Dicastery for Bishops oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics , pending papal approval. It consequently holds considerable sway over
2198-497: A sixth suffragan see to Goa was established at San Thome, Mylapore, near the modern Madras. The suffragan sees added later to Goa were the prelacy of Mozambique in 1612 and Peking and Nanking in China in 1690. Missionary work progressed on a large scale and with great success along the western coasts, chiefly at Chaul, Bombay, Salsette, Bassein, Damao, and Diu, as well as on the eastern coasts at San Thome of Mylapore as far as Bengal. In
2355-532: A very young age. The earliest record of his association with the order is a legal document he signed as a member of the Order of Friars Minor in 1296. He signed other documents in 1316, 1317 and 1318, indicating his presence in Friuli during this period. The nature of these documents also suggests the prestige and the high-level social and institutional relationships he maintained. Odoric's journey had been preceded by
2512-489: A view to becoming an Institute of Consecrated Life or a Society of Apostolic Life. The current prefect is João Bráz Cardinal de Aviz . The Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life is competent for the enhancement of the apostolate of the lay faithful, the pastoral care of the young, of the family and its mission according to God's plan, of the elderly, and for the promotion and protection of life. In pursuing its own competences,
2669-552: Is Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawłowski . The Central Statistics Office, which operates under the Vatican Secretariat of State, conducts a variety of studies for the Roman Curia throughout the year. But one of the office's biggest projects is compiling the annual, 500-page Statistical Yearbook of the Church. The yearbook tracks the Roman Catholic population, both by a head count of the baptized in each country and as
2826-643: Is Kevin Joseph Cardinal Farrell . The dicastery collaborates with the Pontifical Academy for Life in matters concerning the protection and promotion of human life and makes use of its expertise. It is dedicated to promoting the Church's consistent life ethic. It also does related research on bioethics and Roman Catholic moral theology. The current president of the academy is Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia . The Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Matrimonial and Family Science
2983-465: Is a body of the Roman Curia that advises the Magisterium of the church, in examining doctrinal questions of major importance, particularly the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The president of the commission is the ex officio prefect of the dicastery. The Pontifical Biblical Commission is a consultative body, placed at the service of the Magisterium and linked to the dicastery, to ensure
3140-598: Is composed of a prefect or equivalent, a suitable number of Members, one or more Secretaries who assist the prefect, together with, but in a subordinate line, one or more Under-secretaries, who are flanked by various Officials and Consultors ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 13 § 1). The Members of the Curial Institutions are appointed from among the Cardinals residing both in and outside Rome, to whom are added, in as much as they are particularly expert in
3297-416: Is devoted to the study of the truth about the human person in all of its dimensions: theological, philosophical, anthropological, and indeed cosmological-scientific. The institute centers its study of the person in the community that is the original cell of human society: marriage and family. The current president of the institute is Monsignor Philippe Bordeyne . It is the responsibility of the Dicastery for
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#17327718991413454-527: Is given in the Acta Sanctorum ( Bollandist ) under 14 January. The curious discussion before the papal court respecting the beatification of Odoric forms a kind of blue-book issued ex typographia rev. camerae apostolicae (Rome, 1755). Friedrich Kunstmann of Munich devoted one of his papers to Odoric's narrative ( Histor.-polit. Blätter von Phillips und Görres , vol. xxxvii. pp. 507–537). Some editions of Odoric are: Minor planet 4637 Odorico
3611-635: Is likely that he spent time at the Franciscan monasteries established in these cities. From Soltania his travels become somewhat confused. He seems to have wandered through Persia and Mesopotamia, visiting Kashan , Yazd , Persepolis , and Baghdad . From Baghdad he traveled along the Persian Gulf, and at Hormuz embarked for India. Odoric landed on the Indian coast at Tana where Thomas of Tolentino and his three Franciscan companions had recently been martyred for " blaspheming " Muhammad before
3768-570: Is necessary to deal with matters outside the ordinary competence of the Curial Institutions and other bodies of the Apostolic See, and to foster coordination among these dicasteries and other bodies and offices without prejudice to their autonomy. It is responsible to carry out everything that concerns the Representatives of States at the Holy See. The current Substitute for General Affairs is Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra . The task of
3925-539: Is presided over directly by the Roman Pontiff, currently Pope Francis . Each of the two sections is governed in his name and by his authority by a pro-prefect. It is the task of the Section to study, in collaboration with the particular Churches, Episcopal Conferences and Eastern Hierarchical Structures, Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the fundamental questions of evangelization and
4082-707: Is said and done, one must recognize gladly that the Jesuits made a shining contribution to mission outreach and policy in China. They made no fatal compromises, and where they skirted this in their guarded accommodation to the Chinese reverence for ancestors, their major thrust was both Christian and wise. They succeeded in rendering Christianity at least respectable and even credible to the sophisticated Chinese, no mean accomplishment." This influence worked in both directions: [The Jesuits] made efforts to translate western mathematical and astronomical works into Chinese and aroused
4239-469: Is sometimes anglicized as the Court of Rome , as in the 1534 Act of Parliament that forbade appeals to it from England. It is the papal court and assists the Pope in carrying out his functions. The Roman Curia can be loosely compared to cabinets in governments of countries with a Western form of governance, but the only sections that can be directly compared with specific ministries of a civil government are
4396-752: Is today much more involved in an option for the poor and integral human development than in proselytizing. In 2016 Pope Francis formed a Department for Promoting Integral Human Development in the Roman Curia to oversee numerous Catholic outreach programs fostered directly by the Vatican . Not that such missions are new; Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of Catholic relief , development , and social service organisations that date back since just after Pope Leo XIII 's social encyclical Rerum novarum in 1893. And today Jesuit missions, as in Africa and India, are more involved in educating and further assisting
4553-662: The Apostolic Penitentiary ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 190) and the Tribunal of the Roman Rota ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 201). In the event of the Apostolic See becoming vacant, all the heads of Curial Institutions and Members cease to hold office. Exceptions to this rule are the Major Penitentiary, who continues to carry out the ordinary business within his competence, proposing to
4710-476: The Franciscans and Dominicans gained access to Japan. Of the 95 Jesuits who worked in Japan up to 1600, 57 were Portuguese, 20 were Spaniards and 18 Italian. Jesuit Fathers Francisco Xavier , Cosme de Torres, and John Fernandes were the first to arrive at Kagoshima with hopes of bringing Christianity and Catholicism to Japan. Spain and Portugal disputed the attribution of Japan. Since neither could colonize it,
4867-688: The Goan Inquisition , but it was not set up until 1560. In 1557 Goa was made an independent archbishopric, with suffragan sees at Cochin and Malacca . The whole of the East was under the jurisdiction of Goa and its boundaries extended to almost half of the world: from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, to Burma, China, and Japan in East Asia. In 1576 the suffragan See of Macao (China)
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5024-616: The Kangxi Emperor himself maintained that Chinese veneration of ancestors and Confucius were respectful and secular rituals compatible with Christian doctrine ; other orders pointed to the beliefs of the common people of China to show that it was impermissible idolatry and that the common Chinese names for God confused the Creator with His creation. Acting on the complaint of the Bishop of Fujian , Pope Clement XI finally ended
5181-537: The Latin Church , the heritage of the various Oriental Christian traditions. It has exclusive authority over the following regions: Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula , Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, southern Albania and Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine , Syria, Jordan, Turkey, and Ukraine. Its members include all Eastern Catholic patriarchs and major archbishops , as well as
5338-480: The Papal States were lost to the papacy. A reorganization, ordered by Pope Pius X , was incorporated into the 1917 Code of Canon Law . Further steps toward reorganization were begun by Pope Paul VI in the 1960s. Among the goals of this curial reform were the modernization of procedures and the internationalization of the curial staff. These reforms are reflected in the 1983 Code of Canon Law . The offices of
5495-483: The Portuguese conquest of Goa in 1510. During the mid-16th century, the city of Goa , was the center of Christianization in the East. The Portuguese rulers implemented state policies encouraging and even rewarding conversions among Hindu subjects, it would be false to ascribe the large number of conversions to force. The rapid rise of converts in Goa was mostly the result of Portuguese economic and political control over
5652-577: The Second Vatican Council . It has prioritized social justice issues and striven to avoid the dangers of cultural imperialism or economic exploitation that had often accompanied religious conversion. Christian missionaries recognize that working for justice is a constitutive part of preaching the Gospel and usually observe the principles of inculturation in their missionary work. Before Vatican II " baptism of desire " and salvation outside
5809-764: The Southwest United States . The goal of the Franciscan missions was to spread the Christian faith to the people of the New World through "word and example". Spreading Christianity to the newly discovered continent was a top priority, but only one piece of the Spanish colonization system. The influence of the Franciscans , considering that missionaries are sometimes seen as tools of imperialism , enabled other objectives to be reached, such as
5966-700: The poorest rural populations , such as the Dalits and Adivasi in India, than in direct conversion efforts. This is true also in China where proselytizing was forbidden but many Christians assisted with language studies. The present practice in Asia and Africa is detailed in the articles on hundreds of educational institutions and development centres that the Jesuits administer. Much the same can be said of other Catholic lay and religious groups and their contemporary missions. Roman Curia Former dicasteries The Roman Curia ( Latin : Romana Curia ) comprises
6123-539: The 1830s, it was not until 1939 that the church revisited its stance on Chinese customs. Pope Pius XII 's initial move towards greater leniency was subsequently confirmed and expanded by Vatican II . There are records of Franciscan activity on the Americas as early as 1519. Throughout the early 16th century the mission movement spread from the Caribbean to Mexico , Central America , parts of South America , and
6280-539: The Americas and other indigenous people. At the same time, missionaries such as Francis Xavier as well as other Jesuits , Augustinians, Franciscans, and Dominicans were moving into Asia and the Far East. The Portuguese sent missions into Africa. These are some of the most well-known missions in history. In the empires ruled by both Portugal and Spain , religion was an integral part of the state and evangelization
6437-543: The Catholic Church were allowed very little scope. With the Council's emphasis on individual conscience, baptism is seen not only as the ordinary means of salvation but as a vocation call for Christians to spread the good news of God's love to all peoples by their practice of true charity, that is universal and inclusive of all God's children. The Church on mission through its various religious and lay associations
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6594-500: The Catholic Church. It is at the service of the Pope and bishops , fulfilling their function with an evangelical spirit, working for the good and at the service of communion , unity and edification of the Universal Church and attending to the demands of the world in which the Church is called to fulfill its duty and mission ( Praedicate evangelium , article 1). The structure and organization of responsibilities within
6751-690: The Catholic faith but some switched to West Syrian rite. The Saint Thomas Christians were pressured to acknowledge the authority of the Pope . Resentment of these measures led to some part of the community to join the Archdeacon Thomas in swearing never to submit to the Portuguese or to accept Communion with Rome, in the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653. The Diocese of Angamaly was transferred to Diocese of Craganore in 1605, and in 1606
6908-452: The Christian religion and welcomed foreign divinities into its pantheon. Niccolò, Matteo, and Marco Polo made two voyages in 1260 and 1271, and in 1294 the missionary John of Monte Corvino made a similar journey for Pope Nicholas IV . As a result of these and other travelers, information about the Far East started to circulate in Europe. There is no evidence that Odoric had any diplomatic responsibilities when he undertook his journey. He
7065-735: The College of Cardinals those matters which he would report to the Roman Pontiff, and the Almoner of His Holiness, who continues in the exercise of works of charity according to the same criteria used during the pontificate, remaining in the employ of the College of Cardinals until the election of the new Roman Pontiff. During the vacancy of the See, the Secretaries are responsible for the ordinary government of curial institutions, taking care only of matters of ordinary administration. Within three months of
7222-399: The Curia are at present regulated by the apostolic constitution , Praedicate evangelium issued by Pope Francis on 19 March 2022, which was completely enforced on 5 June 2022. It was previously regulated by Pastor bonus issued by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988. With the coming into force of Praedicate evangelium , the Pastor bonus is fully abrogated and replaced, and
7379-416: The Diocesan Council for Economic Affairs, the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, the Chapter of Canons, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Parishes, the Churches; the associations of clerics and public clerical associations; to the latter it may grant the faculty of incardination, after consulting the competent dicasteries and receiving the approval of the Roman Pontiff; ecclesiastical archives; and
7536-419: The Doctrine of the Faith, previously known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, is the oldest of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia. The task of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is to assist the Roman pontiff and the bishops/eparchies in the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world, promoting and protecting
7693-401: The Faith. Its task is to provide the Roman Pontiff with advice and counsel and to propose the most appropriate initiatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable persons and promote local responsibility in the particular Churches for the protection of all minors and vulnerable adults. The current president is Seán Patrick Cardinal O'Malley . The International Theological Commission (ITC)
7850-401: The Franciscans, as were subsequent Papal missions over the next century. By 1260, the fear of another Mongol invasion had subsided and during the next 100 years there were numerous contacts between Europe and China focused on trade opportunities and religious conversion. Travel was facilitated by a united and peaceful Mongolian empire under the Yuan dynasty. Mongolian polytheism was tolerant of
8007-432: The Hindus, who were vassals of the Portuguese crown. At the same time many New Christians from Portugal migrated to India as a result of the inquisition in Portugal . Many of them were suspected of being Crypto-Jews , converted Jews who were secretly practicing their old religion, and were considered a threat to the solidarity of Christian belief. Saint Francis Xavier , in a 1545 letter to John III of Portugal , requested
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#17327718991418164-458: The Jesuit founder St Francis Xavier when he tried to begin missionary work in China in the early 1550s. Unable to receive permission to enter the country, however, Xavier died on Shangchuan Island off the coast of Guangdong in 1552. With the Portuguese establishing an enclave on Zhongshan Island 's Macau Peninsula , Jesuits established a base nearby on Green Island (now the SAR 's "Ilha Verde" neighborhood). Alessandro Valignano ,
8321-526: The Jesuits in 16th, 17th, and 18th century played a significant role in introducing European science and culture to China. Their work laid much of the foundation for much of Christian culture in Chinese society today. Members of the Jesuit delegation to China were perhaps the most influential Christian missionaries in that country between the earliest period of the religion up until the 19th century, when significant numbers of Catholic and Protestant missions developed. Despite earlier evangelization under
8478-453: The Kochi Raja to build two church edifices – Santa Cruz Basilica (1505) and St. Francis Church (1506) using stones and mortar which were unheard of at that time, as local prejudices were against such a structure except for a royal palace or a temple. In the beginning of the 16th century, the whole of the East was under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Lisbon . On 12 June 1514, Cochin and Goa became two prominent mission stations under
8635-419: The Latin Church. It is the responsibility of the dicastery to approve Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, to erect them and also to grant the license for the validity of the erection of an Institute of Consecrated Life or Society of Apostolic Life of diocesan right by the bishop. The competence of the dicastery also extends to Third Orders and to associations of the faithful erected with
8792-403: The Local Bishops' Conferences. It also grants recognitio to the particular Calendars, the Proprieties of Masses and of the Liturgy of the Hours of the particular Churches and of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life approved by the relevant competent authority. It is concerned with the regulation and discipline of the sacred liturgy with regard to the extraordinary form of
8949-415: The Papal Court at Avignon, where he wanted to report on the affairs of the church in the far East, and request recruits for the missions in Cathay. However, he fell ill in Pisa and returned home to Friuli where he died on January 14, 1331. The friars of the convent were about to bury him the same day privately, but when this became known in the city, Conrad Bernardiggi, the chief magistrate of Udine, who had
9106-414: The Papal Secretariat, it closely assists the Roman Pontiff in the exercise of his supreme mission. It comprises three sections: the Section for General Affairs, under the direction of the Substitute, with the assistance of the Assessor; the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations, under the direction of its secretary, with the assistance of the undersecretary and an undersecretary for
9263-491: The Pontifical Missionary Societies: the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Pontifical Society of the Missionary Childhood, and the Pontifical Missionary Union, as instruments for the promotion of the missionary responsibility of every baptized person and for the support of the New Particular Churches. The current pro-prefect is Luis Antonio Cardinal Gokim Tagle . The International Council for Catechesis (COINCAT)
9420-409: The Pope himself, but with no more dependence on the Roman Curia, as such, than other Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world. A distinct office, the Vicar General for Vatican City , administers the portion of the Diocese of Rome in Vatican City . Until recently, there still existed hereditary officers of the Roman Curia , holding titles denominating functions that had ceased to be a reality when
9577-404: The Portuguese fleet consisted of 13 ships and 18 priests anchored at Cochin on 26 November 1500. Cabral soon won the goodwill of the Raja of Cochin who allowed four priests to do apostolic work among the early Christian communities scattered in and around Cochin. Thus missionaries established a Portuguese mission in 1500. Dom Francisco de Almeida , the first Portuguese Viceroy, got permission from
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#17327718991419734-414: The Promotion of Christian Unity to apply appropriate initiatives and activities to the ecumenical commitment, both within the Roman Catholic Church and inrelations with other Churches and Ecclesial Communities, to restore unity among Christians. It is the task of the dicastery to implement the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar Magisterium concerning ecumenism. It is responsible for
9891-414: The Roman Curia, but by the Vicariate General of His Holiness for the City of Rome , as provided by the apostolic constitution Ecclesia in Urbe . The pope has, going back to St. Peter , been the bishop of Rome. There is also the Vicar General of Rome , traditionally a cardinal, and his deputy the vicegerent, who holds the personal title of archbishop, supervise the governance of the diocese by reference to
10048-435: The Roman Rite and for the protection of the sacred relics, the confirmation of the patrons and the granting of the title of Minor Basilica. The current prefect is Arthur Cardinal Roche . The Vox Clara Committee has been established to assist and advise the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in fulfilling its responsibilities with regard to the English translations of liturgical texts. Representing
10205-405: The Second Section of the Secretariat of State , known also as the Section for Relations with States, the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State (established in 1939 by Pius XII ), and the Congregation for Catholic Education . It is normal for every Latin Roman Catholic diocese to have its own curia for its administration. For the Diocese of Rome , these functions are not handled by
10362-425: The Section for Relations with States and International Organizations is to attend to the affairs that must be dealt with the respective civil authorities. It is responsible for the following: to handle the diplomatic and political relations of the Holy See with States and with other subjects of international law and to deal with common affairs for the promotion of the good of the Church and of civil society, also through
10519-409: The Service of Charity, also called the Apostolic Alms Office, is a special expression of mercy and, starting from the option for the poor, the vulnerable and the excluded, it exercises in any part of the world the work of assistance and help towards them in the name of the Roman Pontiff, who in cases of particular indigence or other need, personally arranges the aid to be allocated. The dicastery, under
10676-442: The Tang and Yuan , by the 16th century there is no reliable evidence for any practicing Christians remaining in China. The Portuguese explorer Jorge Álvares reached Guangdong in 1513, establishing direct maritime connection between China and Europe; within six years of the Jesuit's 1540 founding, two Chinese boys were enrolled in their college in Goa , India . One of them, known by his baptismal name Antonio, travelled with
10833-419: The Vatican City State are not part of the Roman Curia, which is composed only of offices of the Holy See . As of 2020 , the Curia comprises the offices listed in the sections below. All members of the Curia except the Cardinal Camerlengo and the Major Penitentiary resign their office immediately after a papal death or resignation. See sede vacante . The Roman Curia is composed of the Secretariat of State,
10990-412: The administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use of in the exercise of his supreme pastoral office and universal mission in the world: thus curialism refers traditionally to an emphasis on the supreme authority of the Holy See within
11147-415: The advancing Mongols to Christianity, especially the Great Khans of the Mongol Empire . ( See also Catholic Church in China . ) During the Age of Discovery , the Roman Catholic Church established a number of missions in the Americas and other colonies through the Augustinians , Franciscans , and Dominicans in order to spread Catholicism in the New World and to convert the indigenous peoples of
11304-441: The archipelago is not free from errors, but they are the errors of an eye-witness. Regarding China, his mention of Guangzhou by the name of Censcolam or Censcalam (Chin-Kalan), and his descriptions of the custom of fishing with tame cormorants , of the habit of letting the fingernails grow extravagantly, and of the compression of women's feet , are peculiar to him among the travellers of that age; Marco Polo omits them all. Odoric
11461-471: The body of the friar to be moved into a stone tomb, commissioned and paid for by the community of Udine and sculpted by a Venetian artist, Filippo de Sanctis. Odoric was placed in the church of San Francesco and the chapel dedicated to him was frescoed in the fifteenth century with episodes of his journey and his miracles. The tomb was removed due to the Venetian suppressions (1769) and after some wanderings it
11618-578: The boundaries of the old Roman Empire . In the seventh century, Gregory the Great sent missionaries, including Augustine of Canterbury , into England. The Hiberno-Scottish mission began in 563 CE. In the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, Franciscans (such as William of Rubruck , John of Montecorvino , and Giovanni ed' Magnolia) were sent as missionaries to the Near and Far East. Their travels took them as far as China, in an attempt to convert
11775-492: The capital "Cambaliech" (now Beijing). Friar Odoric of Pordenone arrived in India in 1321. He visited Malabar, touching at Pandarani (20 m. north of Calicut) at Cranganore and at Kulam or Quilon, proceeding thence, apparently, to Ceylon and to the shrine of St Thomas at Maylapur near Madras. He writes that he had found the place where Thomas was buried. The French Dominican missionary Father Jordanus Catalani followed in 1321–22. He reported to Rome, apparently from somewhere on
11932-517: The case for his beatification. A comprehensive study of all versions and their histories has not yet been done. The narrative was first printed at Pesaro in 1513, in what Apostolo Zeno (1668–1750) calls lingua inculta e rozza . Giovanni Battista Ramusio first includes Odoric's narrative in the second volume of the second edition (1574) (Italian version), in which are given two versions, differing curiously from one another, but without any prefatory matter or explanation. Another (Latin) version
12089-539: The coast line was by no means fully worked, and many vast tracts of the interior northwards were practically untouched. With the decline of Portuguese power other colonial powers – the Dutch and British and Christian organisations – gained influence. Portuguese shipping arrived in Japan in 1543 and Catholic missionary activities in Japan began in earnest around 1549, performed in the main by Portuguese -sponsored Jesuits until Spanish -sponsored mendicant orders such as
12246-436: The commission is the ex officio prefect of the dicastery. The Interdicasterial Commission for Candidates to Sacred Order is established within the dicastery responsible for the selection of candidates for Holy Orders, including their human, spiritual, doctrinal and pastoral training in seminaries and in special centres for permanent deacons, to their continuing formation, including their living conditions and ways of exercising
12403-621: The competence of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. This new dicasteries is a merger of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization . It is made up of two Sections: one for fundamental questions of evangelization in the world and one for first evangelization and the new particular Churches in the territories within its competence. It
12560-521: The consistory held on 30 September 2023. The Pontifical Commission for Latin America is instituted at the dicastery. Its task is to study questions concerning the life and development of these particular Churches in order to assist the dicasteries concerned by reason of their competence and to assist them with advice and financial means. It is also responsible for fostering relations between international and national ecclesiastical institutions that work for
12717-412: The consultors, are appointed by the Roman Pontiff for a five-year term. As a rule, after five years, clerical officials and members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life who have served in curial institutions and offices return to pastoral care in their diocese/parish or in the institutes or societies to which they belong. Should the superiors of the Roman Curia deem it opportune,
12874-496: The copies do not have a name so, by convention, scholars use the title Relatio . The work was read widely in Europe and manuscript copies can be found in libraries across the continent. The oldest surviving text is preserved in Assisi and three more copies nearly as old can be found in the Vatican library. The events narrated by Odoric after his return to Italy may have been transcribed several times. The most widespread version
13031-459: The correct interpretation and faithful application of ecumenical principles and directives established to guide, coordinate and develop ecumenical activity. It also coordinates the ecumenical initiatives of other curial institutions, offices and institutions connected with the Holy See with other churches and ecclesial communities. The current prefect is Kurt Cardinal Koch . Odoric of Pordenone Odoric of Pordenone (c. 1280–14 January 1331)
13188-469: The country and becoming close to the imperial court, particularly its Ministry of Rites , which oversaw official astronomy and astrology . "Jesuits were accepted in late Ming court circles as foreign literati , regarded as impressive especially for their knowledge of astronomy, calendar-making, mathematics, hydraulics, and geography." By 1610, more than two thousand Chinese from all levels of society had converted. Clark has summarized as follows: "When all
13345-425: The development of an effective announcing the Gospel by identifying appropriate forms, instruments and language. The Section gathers the most significant experiences in the field of evangelization, making them available to the entire Church. It encourages reflection on the history of evangelization and mission, especially in their relationship to the political, social, and cultural events that have marked and conditioned
13502-431: The dicasteries and other bodies, all juridically equal to each other". The Curial Institutions is now made up of 16 dicasteries. Each dicastery is headed by a prefect, and supported by secretary and under-secretary. The Dicastery for Evangelization is competent for the fundamental questions of evangelization in the world and for the establishment, accompaniment and support of the new particular Churches, without prejudice to
13659-829: The dicasteries and the Bodies, all of which are juridically equal. By the term "Curial Institutions" is meant the units of the Roman Curia. The Offices of the Roman Curia are the Prefecture of the Papal Household, the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff and the Camerlengo of Holy Roman Church ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 12). In general, each Curial Institution
13816-499: The dicasteries for Evangelization and for the Oriental Churches ), and houses of formation of religious and secular institutes. It handles requests for dispensation from active priestly ministry, as well as the legislation governing presbyteral councils and other organizations of priests around the world. The dicastery also deals with matters within the competence of the Holy See concerning: the general discipline concerning
13973-625: The dicastery and dealt with by it through the jurisdiction of the Supreme Apostolic Tribunal therein established, proceeding to declare or impose canonical penalties in accordance with the norms of law, whether common or proper, without prejudice to the competence of the Apostolic Penitentiary. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors is established within the Dicastery for the Doctrine of
14130-591: The dicastery maintains relations with the particular Churches, with the Bishops' Conferences, their regional and continental Unions, the Oriental Hierarchical Structures and other ecclesial organisms, promoting exchange among them and offering its collaboration so that the values and initiatives connected with these matters may be promoted. The dicastery expresses the Church's special solicitude for young people, promoting their protagonism in
14287-567: The different continents as it does, the committee reflects the international character of the English language. This makes available to the Holy See the great wealth of pastoral experience drawn from different cultures. The current president is vacant. The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints oversees the process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification . After preparing
14444-438: The dispute with a decisive ban in 1704; his legate Charles-Thomas Maillard De Tournon issued summary and automatic excommunication of any Christian permitting Confucian rituals as soon as word reached him in 1707. By that time, however, Tournon and Bishop Maigrot had displayed such extreme ignorance in questioning before the throne that the Kangxi Emperor mandated the expulsion of Christian missionaries unable to abide by
14601-486: The election of the Roman Pontiff they are to be confirmed in their office by him. The Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations assumes the duties provided for in the norms concerning the vacancy of the Apostolic See and the election of the Roman Pontiff ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 18). The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the government of the Roman Catholic Church. As
14758-558: The end of 1329 or the beginning of 1330. After a journey of more than ten years, he had travelled approximately 50,000 kilometers. Shortly after his return Odoric was at his Order's house attached to the Friary of St. Anthony at Padua , and it was there in May 1330 that he related the story of his travels, which was taken down in simple Latin by Friar William of Solagna. From Padua he is thought to have proceeded to Pisa in order to take ship for
14915-448: The establishment of Episcopal Conferences and the recognition of their statutes. It receives the acts and decrees of the above-mentioned bodies, examines them and, after consulting the dicasteries concerned, grants the necessary recognition to the decrees. Finally, it carries out what is established by the canonical dispositions concerning ecclesiastical provinces and regions. The resignation of recent prefect Marc Cardinal Ouellet , PSS ,
15072-500: The evolution of the church. It also schedules the papal audiences " ad limina apostolorum " required for bishops every five years and arranges the creation of new dioceses. The dicastery carries out its activity in a spirit of service and in close collaboration with the Episcopal Conferences and their regional and continental unions. It endeavors to work with them with regard to the celebration of Particular Councils and
15229-553: The exclusive right to propagate Christianity in Japan meant the exclusive right to trade with Japan. Portuguese-sponsored Jesuits under Alessandro Valignano took the lead in proselytizing in Japan over the objection of the Spaniards. This fait accompli was approved in Pope Gregory XIII 's papal bull of 1575, which decided that Japan belonged to the Portuguese diocese of Macau . In 1588 the diocese of Funai ( Nagasaki )
15386-448: The extension of Spanish language , culture, and political control to the New World . A goal was to change the agricultural or nomadic Indian into a model of the Spanish people and society. Basically, the aim was for urbanization . The missions achieved this by “offering gifts and persuasion…and safety from enemies.” This protection also offered security for the Spanish military operation, since there would be theoretically less warring if
15543-409: The extinction of pious wills in general and pious foundations. The current prefect is Lazarus Cardinal You Heung-sik . The Pontifical Work for Priestly Vocations is established within the dicastery responsible to encourage and coordinate efforts to promote vocations to the sacred priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church. It is concerned primarily with setting forth a true and clear notion of the nature,
15700-414: The guidance of the prefect, the Almoner of His Holiness, in contact with other competent dicasteries, makes concrete, through its activity, the solicitude and closeness of the Roman Pontiff, as Pastor of the Universal Church, towards those who live in situations of indigence, marginalization or poverty, as well as on the occasion of serious calamities. Formerly the Office of Papal Charities, the change gives
15857-759: The highest remaining representative of the native church hierarchy. Menezes convened the Synod of Diamper between 20 and 26 June 1599, which introduced a number of reforms to the church and brought it fully into the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. Following the Synod, Menezes consecrated Jesuit Francis Ros as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Angamalé for the Saint Thomas Christians – another suffragan see to Archdiocese of Goa – and Latinisation of St Thomas Christians started. Most eventually accepted
16014-633: The integrity of Roman Catholic doctrine on faith and morals, drawing on the deposit of faith and also seeking an ever deeper understanding of it in the face of new questions. The dicastery is made up of two sections: the Doctrinal Section and the Disciplinary Section, each coordinated by a secretary who assists the prefect in the specific area of his competence. The current prefect is Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández . The Doctrinal Section fosters and supports study and reflection on
16171-477: The interest of Chinese scholars in these sciences. They made very extensive astronomical observation and carried out the first modern cartographic work in China. They also learned to appreciate the scientific achievements of this ancient culture and made them known in Europe. Through their correspondence European scientists first learned about the Chinese science and culture. Ricci and others including Michele Ruggieri , Philippe Couplet , and François Noël undertook
16328-521: The islands of Nicobar and then on to Ceylon . After Ceylon, Odoric writes about 'Dondin', an island associated with the Andaman Islands by some historians while others believe it to be entirely fictional. Next he travelled to Guangzhou (which he knew as "Chin-Kalan" or "Mahachin"). From Guangzhou, he travelled overland to the great port of "Zayton" (possibly Quanzhou ) where there were two houses of his order. In one of these, he deposited
16485-444: The kingdom of Prester John (possibly Mongolia ), and then 'Kansan' (possibly Shaanxi ). Some commentators have suggested that he may have been the first European to have reached Tibet, but a number of modern scholars have contested this interpretation. Beyond here, the friar likely proceeded through Kashmir, Afghanistan, Persia, Armenia and Trebizond, where may have caught a ship home to Venice. Odoric reached home sometime around
16642-468: The local magistrate or qadi . Their remains had been interred by Jordan of Severac , a Dominican missionary. Odoric relates that he recovered these relics and carried them with him on his further travels. From Tana, he travelled down the Malabar coast , stopping at Kodungallur and Quilon . From there, he proceeded around the southern tip of India and up along the southeast coast , where he visited
16799-470: The matters in question, some bishops, especially diocesan/eparchial ones, as well as, according to the nature of the dicastery, some priests and deacons, some members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and some lay faithful ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 15). The prefect, or his equivalent, the members, the secretary, the undersecretary and the other major officials assigned to heads of office, equivalents and experts, as well as
16956-404: The midst of the world's challenges. It studies and deepens, with the support of experts, the major causes of crises in marriages and families, with particular attention to the experiences of those involved in failed marriages, especially with regard to children, in order to promote a greater awareness of the value of the family and the role of parents in society and in the Church. The current prefect
17113-432: The ministry. The president of the commission is the ex officio prefect of the dicastery. The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life is responsible for the promotion, animation and regulation of the practice of the evangelical counsels as it is lived out in the approved forms of consecrated life, and also with regard to the life and activity of Societies of Apostolic Life throughout
17270-482: The multilateral sector; the Section for the Diplomatic Staff of the Holy See, under the direction of the secretary for papal pepresentations, with the assistance of an undersecretary. The current secretary of the state is Pietro Cardinal Parolin . The Section for General Affairs is responsible for dealing with the following matters concerning the daily service of the Roman Pontiff: to examine those matters which
17427-601: The native populations. Today the missions are among the state's oldest structures and most-visited historic monuments; many of them also remain in operation as Catholic churches. The missions in New Mexico were established by Franciscan friars to convert the local Pueblo , Navajo , and Apaches . The first permanent settlement was Mission San Gabriel in 1598 near what is now known as the San Juan Pueblo . Catholic missionary work has undergone profound change since
17584-786: The natives were pacified. Thus the missionaries assisted with another aim of the colonizers. Between 1769 and 1823, Spanish members of the Franciscan Order established and operated 21 missions in California to convert the Native Americans . This was the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the Pacific Coast region and gave Spain a valuable toehold on this frontier. The settlers introduced European livestock , fruits , vegetables , and industry but Spanish occupation also brought negative consequences to
17741-402: The necessity, and the excellence of the priesthood; promotes the offering up of Masses, Communions, prayers and works of penance and charity to the end that God may grant many and excellent priestly vocations; and encourages the growth of the project which is established in each diocese for priestly vocations, and tries to have such projects set up where they do not already exist. The president of
17898-464: The neo-apostles who reached Kappad near Kozhikode on 20 May 1498 along with Vasco da Gama , which represented less than 2% of the total population and was the largest Christian church within India. He was seeking to form anti- Islamic alliances with pre-existing Christian nations. The lucrative spice trade attracted the Portuguese crown. During the second expedition under Captain Pedro Álvares Cabral ,
18055-691: The new regional manager ("visitor") of the order, came to Macau in 1578–1579 and established St. Paul's College to begin training future missionaries in the language and culture of the Chinese. He requested assistance from the orders' members in Goa in bringing over suitably talented linguists to staff the college and begin the mission in earnest. In 1582, Jesuits once again initiated mission work inside China, introducing Western science , mathematics , astronomy , and cartography . Missionaries such as Matteo Ricci and Johann Adam Schall von Bell wrote Chinese catechisms and made influential converts like Xu Guangqi , establishing Christian settlements throughout
18212-798: The newly created Diocese of Funchal in Madeira , in the Atlantic. In 1534 Pope Paul III by the Bull Quequem Reputamus raised Funchal to an archdiocese with Goa as its suffragan , placing the whole of India under the diocese of Goa . This created an episcopal see – suffragan to Funchal , with a jurisdiction extending potentially over all past and future conquests from the Cape of Good Hope to China . The first converts to Christianity in Goa were native Goan women who married Portuguese men that arrived with Afonso de Albuquerque during
18369-567: The office "a more significant role in the Curia". The current prefect is the almoner of His Holiness, Konrad Cardinal Krajewski . The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches is responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical, disciplinary and spiritual patrimony of
18526-469: The patronage for the propagation of the Christian faith (see " Padroado ") in Asia was given to the Portuguese, who were rewarded with the right of conquest. The missionaries of the different orders ( Franciscans , Dominicans , Jesuits , Augustinians , etc.) flocked out with the conquerors, and began at once to build churches along the coastal districts wherever the Portuguese power made itself felt. The history of Portuguese missionaries in India starts with
18683-414: The preaching of the Gospel. The current pro-prefect is Archbishop Salvatore (Rino) Fisichella . The Section supports the proclamation of the Gospel and the deepening of the life of faith in the territories of first evangelization and deals with everything that concerns the erection of ecclesiastical circumscriptions or their modifications, as well as their provisioning, and it carries out the other tasks in
18840-612: The prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity . The current prefect is Claudio Gugerotti . The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments promotes the sacred liturgy according to the renewal undertaken by the Second Vatican Council. The spheres of its competence concern all that which by provision of law pertains to the Apostolic See concerning the regulation and promotion of
18997-486: The proper interpretation and defense of the Bible . The president of the commission is the ex officio prefect of the dicastery. The college for the review of appeals by clergy accused of delicta reservata is a commission under the jurisdiction of the dicastery composed of bishops tasked to review sexual abuse cases of minors committed by clerics. The current president is Archbishop Charles Jude Scicluna. The Dicastery for
19154-400: The reform of the Roman Curia is thus completed. Other bodies that play an administrative or consulting role in ecclesial affairs are sometimes mistakenly identified with the Curia, such as the Synod of Bishops and regional conferences of bishops. Cardinal Gerhard Müller , prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , wrote in 2015 that "the Synod of Bishops is not
19311-462: The regions of Latin America and curial institutions. The president of the commission is the ex officio prefect of the dicastery. The Dicastery for the Clergy is the department of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to institutes of consecrated life or societies of apostolic life , as well as for the seminaries (except those regulated by
19468-429: The remains of the martyrs of Thane. A letter from the bishop, Andrea da Perugia, dated 1326, confirms their reception. From Fuzhou Odoric struck across the mountains into Zhejiang and visited Hangzhou ("Cansay"). It was at the time one of the great cities of the world and Odoric —like Marco Polo , Marignolli , and Ibn Battuta —gives details of its splendors. He mentions Hangzhou as "greater city than any other in
19625-617: The route. The Portuguese accused Spanish Jesuits of working for their homeland instead of their patron. The history of the missions of the Society of Jesus or Jesuits in Ming and Qing China stands as one of the notable events in the early history of relations between China and the Western world , as well as a prominent example of relations between two cultures and belief systems in the pre-modern age. The missionary efforts and other work of
19782-434: The sacred liturgy and the vigilance that the laws of the Church and the liturgical norms are everywhere faithfully observed. It is the task of the dicastery to provide for the editing or revision and updating of typical editions of liturgical books. The dicastery confirms the translations of liturgical books into current languages and grants recognitio to their appropriate adaptations to local cultures, legitimately approved by
19939-541: The same way as the Dicastery for Bishops does within the scope of its competence. The Section, according to the principle of just autonomy, supports the new Particular Churches in the work of first evangelization and growth, collaborating with the Particular Churches, Episcopal Conferences, Institutes of Consecrated Life, Societies of Apostolic Life, associations, ecclesial movements, new communities, and ecclesial assistance agencies. To this section are entrusted
20096-596: The secretary visits the offices of the Pontifical Representations, convokes and presides over meetings concerning their provisions. This Section collaborates with the president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy with regard to the selection and training of candidates for the diplomatic service of the Holy See and maintains contact with retired diplomatic personnel. The current secretary for pontifical representations
20253-479: The service may be extended for another period of five years ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 17). Despite this general structure, some Curial Institutions have a different structure either due to a special law made for the Curial Institution or because of the nature of the Curial Institution ( Praedicate evangelium , Article 13 § 2). Some examples of Curial Institutions with a special structure are
20410-560: The shrine of Thomas the Apostle , which tradition places near Chennai . From India, Odoric sailed in a junk to northern Sumatra, Java, and Borneo where he became the first European to make a recorded visit to the island. At this point, his journey becomes somewhat confusing and it is not clear whether it is recorded in the correct chronological order. After visiting Champa, an ancient kingdom in Vietnam, Odoric says that he travelled to
20567-555: The shrine of St Thomas near the modern Madras, and then proceeded to what he calls the kingdom of Saba and identifies with the Sheba of Scripture, but which seems from various particulars to have been Java. Taking ship again for Malabar on his way to Europe, he encountered great storms. Another prominent Indian traveler was Joseph, priest over Cranganore. He journeyed to Babylon in 1490 and then sailed to Europe and visited Portugal, Rome, and Venice before returning to India. He helped to write
20724-651: The southern districts the Jesuit mission in Madura was the most famous. It extended to the Krishna River, with a number of outlying stations beyond it. The mission of Cochin on the Malabar Coast was also one of the most fruitful. Several missions were also established in the interior northwards, e.g., that of Agra and Lahore in 1570 and that of Tibet in 1624. Still, even with these efforts, the greater part even of
20881-510: The sponsorship and consent of colonial governments, those in other portions of the world (notably Matteo Ricci 's Jesuit mission to China, and the work of other Jesuit missionaries in the Nagasaki region in Japan) were focused on the conversion of individuals within existing social and political structures, and often operated without the consent of local government. John of Monte Corvino was
21038-475: The stipulation of concordats and other international agreements, taking into account the opinion of the Episcopal bodies concerned; to represent the Holy See at international intergovernmental organizations, as well as at multilateral intergovernmental conferences, availing himself, if necessary, of the collaboration of the competent dicasteries and bodies of the Roman Curia; and to grant the nulla osta whenever
21195-460: The terms of Ricci's Chinese catechism . Tournon's policies, confirmed by Clement's 1715 bull Ex Illa Die ... , led to the swift collapse of all of the missions across China, with the last Jesuits— obliged to maintain allegiance to the papal rulings—finally being expelled after 1721. Although Catholic mission work began again following the opening up of the country after the Treaty of Nanking in
21352-481: The text as they saw fit. Some simply attempted to improve on the original Latin grammar while others added details or entirely new sections. In one German manuscript, for example, comparisons that Odoric frequently made between Chinese cities and Italian ones were replaced by comparisons with German cities. In France, comparisons were made to French cities and rivers. In other versions stories of miracles attributed to Odoric after his death were added in an effort to bolster
21509-478: The understanding of faith and morals and the development of theology in different cultures, in the light of sound doctrine and the challenges of the times, so as to offer answers, in the light of faith, to the questions and arguments that emerge with the progress of the sciences and the evolution of civilizations. The Disciplinary Section, through the Disciplinary Office, deals with crimes reserved to
21666-432: The universal Church, suggesting solutions and proposals for pastoral action; it provides information on the necessity of catechesis and new approaches being taken in various parts of the world; and it facilitates the exchange of catechetical experiences between the Holy See and the diverse areas in the Church and among the members themselves. The current president is Archbishop Salvatore (Rino) Fisichella . The Dicastery for
21823-516: The west coast of India, that he had given Christian burial to four martyred monks. Jordanus is known for his 1329 Mirabilia describing the marvels of the East: he furnished the best account of Indian regions and the Christians, the products, climate, manners, customs, fauna and flori given by any European in the Middle Ages – superior even to Marco Polo's. In 1347, Giovanni de Marignolli visited
21980-677: The world, being 100 miles around, with everywhere within inhabited; often a house has 10 or 12 families. The city has twelve gates and at each gate at about eight miles are cities larger than Venice or Padua ". Passing northward by Nanjing and crossing the Yangzi , Odoric embarked on the Grand Canal and travelled to the imperial city of the Great Khan (probably Yesün Temür Khan ) at Khanbaliq (within present-day Beijing ). He remained there for three years, probably from 1324 to 1327. He
22137-519: Was a Franciscan friar and missionary explorer from Friuli in northeast Italy. He journeyed through India, Sumatra, Java, and China, where he spent three years in the imperial capital of Khanbaliq (now Beijing). After more than ten years of travel, he returned home and dictated a narrative of his experiences and observations called the Relatio , highlighting various cultural, religious, and social peculiarities he encountered in Asia. His manuscript
22294-411: Was accepted by Pope Francis on 30 January 2023. Archbishop Robert Francis Prevost , O.S.A. was named to succeed him in this office, which he assumed on 12 April 2023. Prevost was elevated to archbishop when his appointment to lead the Dicastery for Bishops was announced. He is now Archbishop - Bishop emeritus of his former see - Chiclayo, Peru . He was elevated to the College of Cardinals at
22451-536: Was added, and in 1588 that of Funai in Japan. In 1597 the death of the last metropolitan bishop , Archdeacon Abraham of the Saint Thomas Christians , an ancient body formerly part of the Church of the East gave the then Archbishop of Goa Menezes an opportunity to bring the native church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. He was able to secure the submission of Archdeacon George ,
22608-620: Was attached, no doubt, to one of the churches founded by the Franciscan Archbishop John of Monte Corvino , at this time in extreme old age. He also visited Yangzhou where Marco Polo had served as governor for three years. After three years in Khanbaliq, Odoric elected to travel back to Europe, possibly in response to the emperor's request for more missionaries. His return journey is less clearly described. Traveling overland across Asia, he passed through what he called
22765-583: Was beatified in 1755. Little is known about the life of Odoric and many details are confused by the mythology that evolved after his death. He was born at Villanova , a hamlet now belonging to the town of Pordenone in Friuli . One tradition says that he was the son of a soldier fighting for Ottokar II of Bohemia , who seized control of Pordenone in the early 1270s. For this reason he has sometimes been called "the Bohemian". Another tradition says that Odoric
22922-588: Was copied multiple times and distributed widely across Europe, both in the original Latin and several vernacular translations including Italian, French, and German. The Relatio was an important contribution to Europe's growing awareness of the Far East. Odoric's account was a primary source for the account of Mandeville's Travels . Many of the incredible reports about Asia in Mandeville have proven to be versions of Odoric's eyewitness descriptions. After his death, Odoric became an object of popular devotion and
23079-565: Was established by Pope Paul VI on 7 June 1973, as a consultative body within the Congregation for the Clergy. The general purpose of COINCAT as explained in the Annuario Pontificio is "to study the more important catechetical themes for the service of the Apostolic See and the episcopal conferences and to present proposals and suggestions." Specifically, it investigates concrete themes and important catechetical problems for
23236-549: Was founded under Portuguese protection. In rivalry with the Jesuits, Spanish-sponsored mendicant orders entered Japan via Manila . While criticizing Jesuit activities, they actively lobbied the Pope. Their campaigns resulted in Pope Clement VIII 's decree of 1600 which allowed Spanish friars to enter Japan via the Portuguese Indies, and Pope Paul V 's decree of 1608 which abolished the restrictions on
23393-463: Was in western India soon after 1321 (pretty certainly in 1322) and that he spent three years in China between the opening of 1323 and the close of 1328. Along the way he provided brief descriptive notes for each of the places he visited, highlighting various cultural, religious, and social peculiarities. During at least a part of his journey, the companion of Odoric was Friar James of Ireland , who assisted at Odoric's funeral and subsequently received
23550-529: Was made by William of Solagna who states in an introduction that he took down the dictation of Odoric while they were in Bologna in May 1330. Other compilations of the narrative were prepared in Latin or Italian and some of them were very dissimilar. Another contemporary version was made by Heinrich of Glatz (Silesia) who said he copied the text from a version he accessed in the papal library at Avignon (likely in 1331). Each subsequent compiler or copyist modified
23707-403: Was motivated to evangelize and perhaps satisfy his own curiosity. In the opening chapter of his chronicle, he states "according to my wish, I crossed the sea and visited the countries of the unbelievers in order to win some harvest of souls." Sometime after 1318, Odoric left Venice to begin his multi-year journey across Asia. In the introduction to his travel journal, Odoric says that he went as
23864-899: Was one who not only visited many countries, but wrote about them so that he could share his knowledge with others. Moved by the many miracles that were wrought at the tomb of Odoric, Pope Benedict XIV , in the year 1755, approved the veneration which had been paid to Blessed Odoric. In the year 1881 the city of Pordenone erected a magnificent memorial to its distinguished son. The original manuscript of Odoric's narrative has been lost, but researchers have traced at least 117 copies, seventy-nine of them in Latin, twenty-three in Italian, eight in French, five in German, one in Castilian, and one in Welsh. Most of
24021-419: Was placed in the church of San Maria del Carmine, where it is still to be found. Popular acclamation made Oderic an object of devotion, the municipality erected a noble shrine for his body, and his fame as saint and traveller had spread far and wide before the middle of the century, but it was not until four centuries later (1755) that the papal authority formally sanctioned his beatification . A bust of Odoric
24178-588: Was repudiated by Grotius 's Mare Liberum . Portugal's and Spain's colonial policies were also challenged by the Roman Catholic Church itself. The Vatican founded the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide in 1622 and attempted to separate the churches from the influence of the Iberian kingdoms. While missions in areas ruled by Spanish and Portuguese, and to a lesser extent, the French, are associated with cultural imperialism and oppression, and often operated under
24335-401: Was seen as having both secular and spiritual benefits. Wherever these powers attempted to expand their territories or influence, missionaries would soon follow. By the Treaty of Tordesillas , the two powers divided the world between them into exclusive spheres of influence, trade, and colonization. The Roman Catholic world order was challenged by the Netherlands and England . Theoretically, it
24492-402: Was set up at Pordenone in 1881. There are a few passages in the book that stamp Odoric as a genuine and original traveller. He is the first European, after Marco Polo, who distinctly mentions the name of Sumatra . The cannibalism and community of wives which he attributes to certain people of that island do certainly belong to it, or to islands closely adjoining. His description of sago in
24649-408: Was the son of a prominent local family but recent historians tend to discount this version. Estimates of his birth year have ranged from 1265 to 1285 but a forensic examination of his partially mummified body in 2002 showed he was about 50 when he died in 1331, indicating that he was born around 1280. His 14th-century ecclesiastical biographers said that he took the vows of the Franciscan order at
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