Dicastery for the Clergy
| Dicasterium pro Clericis | |
 Coat of arms of the Holy See | |
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 Palazzo delle Congregazioni in Piazza Pio XII in front of St. Peter's Square is the workplace for most congregations of the Roman Curia | |
| Dicastery overview | |
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| Formed | August 2, 1564 |
Preceding agencies |
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| Type | Dicastery |
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Dicastery executives |
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| Website | http://www.clerus.va |
| Part of a series on the |
| Roman Curia of the Holy See |
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 Catholic Church portal |
The Dicastery for the Clergy, formerly named Congregation for the Clergy (Latin: Congregatio pro Clericis; formerly the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy and Sacred Congregation of the Council), is the dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders. The Congregation for the Clergy handles requests for dispensation from active priestly ministry, as well as the legislation governing presbyteral councils and other organisations of priests around the world. The Congregation does not deal with clerical sexual abuse cases, as those are handled exclusively by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
History
[edit] | This section needs more citations. (October 2021) |
Sacred Congregation of the Council
[edit]What is now the Dicastery for the Clergy was first set up as the Sacra Congregatio Cardinalium pro executione et interpretatione concilii Tridentini interpretum by Pope Pius IV in the apostolic constitution Alias Nos of 2 August 1564 to oversee the proper application and observation of the disciplinary decrees of the Council of Trent throughout the Catholic Church. This body was commonly known as the Sacred Congregation of the Council. Cardinal Charles Borromeo was named at the first prefect of the Congregation.
Pope Sixtus V's Apostolic Constitution Immensa aeterni Dei of 22 January 1587 expanded the Congregation's functions, entrusting it with the proper interpretation of the canons of the Council of Trent, resolving controversial questions relating to it, and monitoring provincial councils.
Later developments
[edit]The Sacred Congregation of the Council lost many of its powers,[when?] retaining only those relating to disciplining secular clergy, but still held onto its original name until Pope Paul VI's apostolic constitution Regimini Ecclesiae Universae of 31 December 1967 renamed it as the "Congregation for the Clergy".
By 2009, Pope Benedict XVI made the Congregation responsible for managing the guidelines concerning clergy who maintained their clerical status after violating their vows of celibacy.[1] On 25 January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI gave it responsibility for regulating Catholic seminaries, which until then were the responsibility of the Congregation for Catholic Education.[2]
In January 2013, the motu proprio Fides per doctrinam transferred the competency on catechesis from the Congregation for the Clergy to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.
In February 2019, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation, said that the Congregation manages the cases of priests who violate their vows of celibacy for approximately ten years. He said that "In such cases there are, unfortunately, Bishops and Superiors who think that, after having provided economically for the children, or after having transferred the priest, the cleric could continue to exercise the ministry."[1] In February 2020, the Congregation made public its guidelines for managing cases of priests who have fathered children. The guidelines were previously secret, though in 2019 the Congregation offered to provide then to a bishops conference upon request.[3]
On 3 June 2021, Pope Francis tasked Egidio Miragoli, Bishop of Mondovì, with conducting a review of the Congregation in anticipation of the replacement of its prefect in August. He expected it would take at least the month of June to complete.[4][5]
Leadership
[edit]| Prefect of Congregation for the Clergy | |
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| Congregation for the Clergy | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Member of | Roman Curia |
| Reports to | The Pope |
| Appointer | |
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| First holder | Carlo Borromeo |
Since 2 August 2021, the prefect of the Congregation has been Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik.[6] The secretary of the Congregation has been the Archbishop Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli since January 2026.[7] In February 2022, Simone Renna was named under secretary.[8][9]
Prefects
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Documents
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Stella, Beniamino (27 February 2019). "For children of priests, the good of the child comes first" (Interview). Interviewed by Andrea Tornielli. Vatican News. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ↑ "Benedict XVI: New motu proprios affect seminaries, catechesis". Vatican Radio. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ↑ Cairns, Madoc (10 February 2020). "Vatican guidelines for children of priests are released". The Tablet. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ↑ Beltràn, Fernando (7 June 2021). "Confirmado: El Papa ordena una visita a la Congregación para el Clero" (in Spanish). Info Vaticana. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ↑ Scola, Paola (7 June 2021). "Una 'missione speciale' di Papa Francesco per il vescovo di Mondovì". La Stampa (in Italian). Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ↑ "S.E. Lazzaro You Heung-sik". Congregation for the Clergy (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 22.01.2026" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ↑ Bourdin, Anita (9 February 2022). "Congrégation pour le clergé: le p. Renna nommé sous-secrétaire". Zenit (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 09.02.2022" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- "Congregation for the Clergy". The Roman Curia.
- "Pastor Bonus". John Paul II: Apostolic Constitutions.
