After more than 8 years of work, the great reform of the Vatican Curia, the government of the Church, implemented by Francis saw the light with the promulgation and publication of the Constitution “Praedicate Evangelium” (Preach the Gospel), in which it gives a “more missionary” direction and opens the door to a greater presence of laity and women in the administration.
The new 52-page Constitution, which completely changes the organization chart of the Roman Curia, will enter into force on June 5, the date on which it will replace the “Pastor Bonus”, promulgated by John Paul II in 1988.
For more than 8 years, the pope and the so-called C9, the Council of Cardinals with whom he has met periodically, worked on the drafting of this text, which was later sent to all the episcopal conferences and, by surprise and without warning, Today it has been published.
The Vatican has organized a press conference on Monday to explain its content.
The dicastery of evangelization, main novelty
Some important changes reflected in the new Constitution are already effective, such as the creation of the Secretariat for Communication, which brings together the different Vatican information sources, the creation of the dicastery (ministry) for the Service of Integral Human Development, which brings together the social issues of the Church, or the Secretariat for the Economy, which will handle all Vatican finances including the funds of the Secretariat of State.
The preamble to the Constitution explains that this new document has taken into account “the missionary conversion of the Church.”
Proof of this is the creation of the great dicastery for Evangelization, which includes the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, and which will be directly chaired by the pope. In addition, this ministry is the main one in the organizational chart of the Vatican government, while until now it was the Doctrine of the Faith, the former Holy Office.
The new Constitution also reflects one of the changes recently implemented by Francis in the dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which has been divided into two sections: a disciplinary one that will deal with canonical processes with the intention of speeding up cases on abuses to minors and the other doctrinal, which deals with the rules on faith and morality.
In addition, within the Doctrine of the Faith, the already existing Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors has been included, “whose task is to advise and advise the pontiff and propose the most appropriate initiatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable people”, is read in the text.
It has also been instituted as a dicastery, as the ministries of the Government of the Church are called, one specific for the “Service of Charity”, which until now was the apostolic alms that will be “expression of mercy.
Starting from the option for the poor, the vulnerable and the excluded, this dicastery exercises assistance and help towards them in any part of the world in the name of the pontiff, who, in cases of special need or of another nature, personally disposes the help to be given.
The Curia does not stand between the pope and the bishops
It is emphasized that the Curia is an instrument at the service of the Bishop of Rome and “also for the benefit of the universal Church and, therefore, of the episcopates and the local Churches”. Therefore, “he does not stand between the pope and the bishops, but rather places himself at the service of both in the ways proper to the nature of each one.”
An important nuance is the definition given of the powerful Secretariat of State, which is considered a “papal secretariat” and which, in addition to losing the administration of the funds, will also see the transfer of the Curia Personnel office to the Secretariat of the Economy. .
Increased presence of laity and women
A fundamental part of the document, included among the general principles, “is the specification that everyone – and therefore also the laity and the lay faithful – can be appointed to government functions of the Roman Curia, by virtue of the power Vicar of the Successor of Peter”.
“Every Christian, by virtue of Baptism, is a missionary disciple to the extent that he has found the love of God in Christ Jesus. He cannot be ignored in the updating of the Curia, whose reform, therefore, must include the involvement of lay people and lay women, also in roles of government and responsibility”, it is pointed out.
In addition, the also new dicastery for the Laity, the Family and the Vocation of the new Vatican Curia will have, among its objectives, that of “deepen reflection on the relationship between man and woman in their respective specificity, reciprocity, complementarity and equal dignity”.
It will offer “its contribution to the reflection of the Church on the identity and mission of women and men in the Church and in society, promoting their participation, valuing the peculiarities of women and men, and also elaborating role models of leadership for women in the Church”, specifies the document. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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