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Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith

by Catherine Frakas 09 Jan 2005

Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, originally called the Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, was established by Paul III with the Constitution Licet ab Initio on the 21 July 1542 for the defence of the Church from heresy. It is the oldest of the nine Congregations of the Roman Curia. The only institution prior to it was the Secretariat of State which had been established in 1487 as the Apostolic Secretariat by Innocent VIII. Pope St Pius X, with the Constitution Sapienti Consilio of the 29 June 1908, changed the name of the Dicastery to the Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office. Lastly, Pope Paul VI redefined its competency and structure on the eve of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council and gave the Office its present name in the Motu proprio Integrae Servandae of the 7 December 1965. Today, according to Article 48 of the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia Pastor Bonus, promulgated by the Holy Father John Paul II in 1988, the proper function of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on faith and morals in the whole Catholic world; therefore it has competence in things that touch this matter in any way. The Congregation is presently composed of 20 members-Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops coming from 14 different nations- under the presidency of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany. The Secretary, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and the Under-Secretary, Fr Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M.Conv., are both from Italy. In addition, 38 other officials, secretaries and staff currently offer permanent service to the Dicastery. In view of its various areas of competence, the Dicastery is divided into three sections: doctrinal, disciplinary and matrimonial which deals with whatever concerns the privilege of the faith. The Congregation is assisted by a College of 29 consultors from several countries, professors in various Roman universities and pontifical faculties who are experts in different ecclesiastical disciplines. In the exercise of its responsibility to promote catholic doctrine and to foster studies so that the understanding of the faith may grow and a response may be given in the light of the faith to new questions arising from the progress of the sciences or human culture ( Pastor Bonus, Art. 49), the Congregation promotes the organization of symposia or scientific meetings on problems that have doctrinal relevance (Regulations of the Congregation, Art. 76), as well as initiatives for the diffusion of sound doctrine and the defense of those points of the Christian tradition and the Magisterium which are put at risk by unacceptable modern doctrines (Attivite della Santa Sede 1996, Vatican City 1997, p. 669). When Bishops come to Rome every five years on the occasion of the ad limina Apostolorum visit, they are received at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for an exchange of information and an analysis of problems regarding to the doctrinal situation of the various countries as well as a joint search for solutions to the main local doctrinal questions (ibid., p. 671). By reason of his office, the Cardinal Prefect is also President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission which each have offices and secretaries within the Dicastery. The activity of both Commissions is thereby intimately connected to that of the Congregation with which they collaborate on a regular basis. An Interdicasterial Commission is also located in the Congregation for the redaction and publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which was constituted by the Holy Father in February of 1993 under the presidency of the Cardinal Ratzinger. In collaboration with the Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Dicastery has for several years published its own documents in a collection entitled Documenti e Studi accompanied by commentaries which have appeared in L'Osservatore Romano.

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