Former dicasteries
107-648: In the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church , a congregation ( Latin : Sacræ Cardinalium Congregationes ) was a type of department. They were second-highest-ranking departments, ranking below the two Secretariats, and above the pontifical councils, pontifical commissions , tribunals and offices. Originally, congregations were select groups of cardinals drawn from the College of Cardinals , commissioned to take care of some field of activity that concerned
214-438: A papal bull is in 1418. It is also possible that the term Rota comes from the porphyry wheel that was centered in the marble floor of Avignon , or even from the wheel-like cases in which parchment roll records were kept. The Rota's main function is that of an appellate tribunal, ordinarily reviewing decisions of lower courts if the initial court (first instance) and the first appellate court (second instance) do not agree on
321-457: 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
428-650: A complete organization was established by Pope Pius X in his Constitution Sapienti Consilio of 29 June 1908, according to which there were thirteen congregations, counting that of the Propaganda as only one; however, the last-named congregation is divided into two parts: Congregation of the Propaganda for Affairs of the Latin Church, and Congregation of the Propaganda for Affairs of the Oriental Rites, it may well be considered as two congregations, so that
535-681: 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,
642-544: A letter of the Cardinal-prefect , and major officers, freely selected by the pope, and named by a note of the Cardinal Secretary of State . There is to be henceforth no cumulation of offices in the hands of one individual, not only to satisfy the requirements of distributive justice, but also because the tenure of several offices by the same person often results in detriment to the service. Wherefore, it
749-534: A new trial to be held before a new turnus of the Rota, if the Rota was found to have erred in procedure (" de procedendo "). The Roman Rota proceedings are governed by a specific set of rules, the "Normae Romanae Rotae Tribunalis", promulgated in 1994 by Pope John Paul II. Only advocates who are registered in a specific list are allowed to represent the parties before the Tribunal. Since Pope Benedict XVI issued
856-493: 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
963-528: 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,
1070-509: A prelate auditor of the Court of First Instance . On March 29, 2021, Msgr. Pinto retired and Pope Francis appointed Msgr. Alejandro Arellano Cedillo as dean. The Rota issues its decrees and sentences in Latin . The Rota adjudicates cases in a panel (called a turnus ) of three auditors, or more, depending on the complexity of the matter, assigned by the dean of the tribunal. The auditors of
1177-831: 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
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#17327648480281284-466: A tribunal of first instance (in Anglo-American common law what would be termed exclusive original jurisdiction ) in certain cases such as any contentious case in which a bishop of the Latin Church is a defendant. If the case can still be appealed after a Rotal decision, the appeal goes to a different turnus, or panel, of the Rota. The Rota is the highest appeals court for all judicial trials in
1391-489: 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,
1498-552: 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
1605-643: 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
1712-465: 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
1819-598: 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
1926-416: 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
2033-446: Is forbidden for an officer of one of the congregations to serve in any way as an agent, or as a procurator or advocate, in his own department or in any other ecclesiastical tribunal. The competency of the 'congresso' in each congregation is determined. The congresso consists of the major officers under the presidency of the cardinal who presides over the congregation. It deals with the matters of less importance among those that are before
2140-570: 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
2247-539: 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
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#17327648480282354-418: 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
2461-603: Is the highest appellate tribunal of the Catholic Church , with respect to both Latin Church members and the Eastern Catholic members and is the highest ecclesiastical court constituted by the Holy See related to judicial trials conducted in the Catholic Church. An appeal may be had to the pope himself, who is the supreme ecclesiastical judge. The Catholic Church has a complete legal system , which
2568-708: Is the oldest in the West still in use. The court is named Rota ( wheel ) because the judges, called auditors , originally met in a round room to hear cases. The Rota emerged from the Apostolic Chancery starting in the 12th century. The pope appoints the auditors of the Rota and designates one of them the dean . On September 22, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation, for reasons of age, of Bishop Antoni Stankiewicz as dean and appointed in his place Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto [ cs ; de ; fr ; pl ; pt ; ru ] , who had been serving as
2675-606: 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
2782-499: The Holy See . After the Second Vatican Council , members included diocesan bishops from diverse parts of the world who are not cardinals. Each congregation also had a permanent staff. Each congregation was led by a prefect, who is usually a cardinal. A non-cardinal appointed to head a congregation was styled pro-prefect until made a cardinal. This practice was later abandoned. Under the reforms of Pope Francis ,
2889-537: 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
2996-480: 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
3103-429: The penitentiarii and the auditores , according as questions of the internal or the external forum (i.e., jurisdiction) were to be considered. Thereafter, cardinals in greater or less number were associated with them. Often, however, they were not merely entrusted with the preparation of the case, but were given authority to decide it. However, the ever-growing number of business items and the ever-increasing complexity of
3210-663: The 14th century, the court was formally known as the Apostolic Court of Audience . The first recorded use of the term Rota , which referred to the wheel-shaped arrangement of the benches used by the court in the great hall at Avignon , is in Thomas Fastolf 's Decisiones rotae , consisting of reports on thirty-six cases heard at the Court of Audience in Avignon between December 1336 and February 1337. Its first usage in
3317-500: 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
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3424-656: The Catholic Church. A judgment of the Rota can, however with the greatest difficulty, be vacated by the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura , which is the highest administrative court in the Catholic Church. However, the legal procedure or process used by the judges of the Rota, not the merits of the case, are on trial before the Signatura: the Signatura is only able to grant the petitioner
3531-735: 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
3638-501: 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
3745-471: The Curia with the norms established by the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the early drafts of what became the 1990 Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches . Pastor Bonus also continued Paul's expansion of the membership of congregations, allowing priests, deacons, the religious and the laity to be members of certain congregations and establishing consultors , experts appointed to the dicasteries of
3852-800: 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
3959-666: 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
4066-401: 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)
4173-419: 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
4280-633: 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
4387-597: 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
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4494-991: 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)
4601-586: 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
4708-619: 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
4815-747: The Roman Curia to provide opinions, either singly or collectively, for particular issues when required. Sr. Luzia Premoli , superior general of the Combonian Missionary Sisters, was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in 2014, thus becoming the first woman to be appointed a member of a Vatican congregation. On 19 March 2022, Pope Francis issue the apostolic constitution Praedicate evangelium , abrogating and replacing Pope John Paul II's Pastor bonus of 1988. The former Congregations are now termed " dicasteries " (i.e., "departments"). Before
4922-583: 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
5029-435: 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
5136-413: The Rota are selected from among recognized ecclesiastical judges serving various dioceses around the world. The Rota's official records begin in 1171. Until the Risorgimento and the loss of the Papal States in 1870, the Rota was a civil tribunal and its judgements had the status of law in the Papal States. Since at least 1961, the Rota has been based in the Palazzo della Cancelleria , along with
5243-412: The Sacred Ceremonial Congregation. One of the main changes brought about by Paul VI was the admission of diocesan bishops and archbishops as members of the Congregations, which has previously been restricted to cardinals. As before, the members of a congregation do not intervene in the day-to-day operations of the congregation, which is in the hands of the Prefect and the permanent staff, headed generally by
5350-405: 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
5457-408: The Secretary and the Undersecretary. The permanent staff is to be of international provenance. Membership normally meet to discuss more general problems and to determine guidelines no more than once a year. The most recent reorganization of the Roman Congregations came with Pope John Paul II 's Constitution Pastor Bonus , issued June 28, 1988. This constitution more closely aligned the structure of
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#17327648480285564-425: 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
5671-409: 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
5778-419: 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,
5885-426: The administration of the affairs of the Church. The Roman Congregations originated from the necessity, felt from the beginning, of studying the questions submitted for pontifical decision, in order to sift the legal questions arising and to establish matters of fact. Ecclesiastical business used to be handled by the pontifical chancery. This work, at first entrusted to the papal chaplains, was afterwards divided between
5992-412: 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
6099-448: The better exercise of its functions. On 29 June 1908, with the constitution Sapienti Consilio , Pope Pius X reduced the number of the congregations to 11. They were: All decisions of the sacred congregations require pontifical approval, unless special powers have been given previously by the pope. The officials of the congregations are divided into two classes: minor officers, who are to be chosen by competitive examination and named by
6206-417: The chief end of the Congregations of Cardinals was to assist the pontiff in the administration of the affairs of the Church, some of these congregations were created to assist in the administration of the temporal States of the Holy See . Immensa Aeterni Dei has since been superseded, most recently by Pope John Paul II's constitution Pastor Bonus . Other congregations were added by different popes, until
6313-436: 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
6420-417: 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
6527-449: The congregation, while those of greater moment must be referred to the full congregation. It is also the business of the congresso to prepare for their discussion those matters that are to be considered by the full congregation. On the other hand, the congresso is charged with the execution of the orders of the full congregation that have received the approval of the pope. As examples of matters of greater importance which must be considered by
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#17327648480286634-411: The congregations were each turned into what are now known as dicasteries . Certain curial departments have been organized by the Holy See at various times to assist it in the transaction of those affairs which canonical discipline and the individual interests of the faithful bring to Rome. Among the most important were the Roman Congregations, traditionally comprising cardinals who assist the pope in
6741-466: 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
6848-412: 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,
6955-853: 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 . Roman Rota Former dicasteries Jus novum ( c. 1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c. 1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of
7062-425: 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
7169-431: 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
7276-399: 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
7383-432: 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
7490-411: 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
7597-448: 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
7704-567: 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
7811-413: 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
7918-448: 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 ,
8025-500: 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
8132-409: 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,
8239-630: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life The Roman Rota , formally the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota ( Latin : Tribunal Apostolicum Rotae Romanae ), and anciently the Apostolic Court of Audience ,
8346-530: The full congregation, the special rules ( normæ peculiares ) mention the solution of doubts or of questions that may arise in regard to the interpretation of ecclesiastical laws, the examination of important administrative controversies and kindred matters. Following the Second Vatican Council , Pope Paul VI implemented many of the changes called for in the Curia with his Constitution Regimini Ecclesiae Universae of 15 August 1967. The functions of some offices that had already been severely reduced were abolished:
8453-467: 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
8560-417: The idea, already conceived and partly reduced to practice by some of his predecessors, of committing one or another case or a group of cases to the examination, or to the decision, of several cardinals. By a judicious division of administrative matters, he established the permanent organization of these departments of the Curia. Immensa aeterni Dei called for the formation of 15 permanent congregations: While
8667-633: 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
8774-499: The issues necessitated the creation of separate, specialised administrative-legislative bodies (the administrative and legislative functions of ecclesiastical government are not as sharply separated in the Catholic Church as in a secular government with the separation of powers ). Pope Sixtus V was the first to distribute this administrative business among different congregations of cardinals; and in his Apostolic Constitution Immensa Aeterni Dei (22 January 1588) he generalized
8881-476: The legal points of the cases submitted to them, until the congregations overshadowed the ecclesiastical tribunals and even the Roman Rota , in fact almost taking their places. In time the transaction of business was impeded by the accumulation of jurisdictions, different congregations exercising jurisdiction rendering decisions and enacting laws in the same matters; Pius X resolved to define the competency of each congregation more precisely and to provide otherwise for
8988-470: 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
9095-404: 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
9202-432: 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
9309-482: 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
9416-402: 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
9523-515: 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
9630-527: The other courts of the Holy See: the Apostolic Penitentiary and the Apostolic Signatura . In March 2020, Pope Francis issued a new Vatican law which provides for greater independence of judicial bodies and magistrates dependent on the Pope. It also specifies the requirements for the appointment of judges and it simplifies the judicial system while increasing the staff of the court. Until
9737-439: The outcome of a case; however, any party to an initial decision before a court of the Latin Church (and also some Eastern Churches) has the right to file a second-instance appeal directly to the Rota. Dominating its caseload are petitions seeking the issuance of a decree of nullity of a marriage, although it has jurisdiction to hear any other type of judicial and non-administrative case in any area of canon law. The Rota serves as
9844-414: 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
9951-537: 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
10058-486: 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
10165-563: 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
10272-619: The reform, the most important department of the Vatican was the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith . With Praedicate evangelium , the most important department is the Dicastery for Evangelization , with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith coming second. [REDACTED] This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). " The Roman Congregations ". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company. Roman Curia Former dicasteries The Roman Curia ( Latin : Romana Curia ) comprises
10379-517: 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
10486-434: 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
10593-541: 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
10700-596: 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
10807-479: 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
10914-475: 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
11021-626: The total number of the congregations is fourteen. Sixtus V granted ordinary jurisdiction to each of the congregations which he instituted within the limits of the cases assigned to it, reserving to himself and to his successors the presidency of some of the more important congregations, such as the Congregation of the Holy Inquisition and that of the Signature of Grace. As time went on, the congregations of cardinals, which at first dealt exclusively with administrative matters, came to pass upon
11128-478: 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
11235-432: 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
11342-411: 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
11449-504: 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
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