Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

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Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
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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
FormedMay 27, 1586;437 years ago (1586-05-27)
Preceding agencies
  • Sacred Congregation for Consultations About Regulars
  • Congregation for Consultations About Bishops and Other Prelates
  • Congregation for Religious
  • Congregation for Religious and for Secular Institutes
  • Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Type Dicastery
HeadquartersPalazzo delle Congregazioni, Piazza Pio XII, Rome, Italy
Dicastery executives
Website www.vitaconsacrata.va/it.html OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, formerly called Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL; Latin : Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Societatibus Vitae Apostolicae), is the dicastery of the Roman Curia with competency over everything which concerns institutes of consecrated life (orders and religious congregations, both of men and of women, as well as secular institutes) and societies of apostolic life, regarding their government, discipline, studies, goods, rights, and privileges.

Contents

Description

On 26 May 1587, Pope Sixtus IV founded the Sacred Congregation for Consultations About Regulars. In 1908 Pope Pius X changed its name to the Congregation for Religious. In 1967 Pope Paul VI changed its name to the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes. Pope Francis gave the Congregation its current name with the March 19, 2022 apostolic constitution Praedicate evangelium . [1]

The Congregation is responsible for everything which concerns religious orders and congregations, and societies of apostolic life regarding their government, discipline, studies, etc. It is competent also for matters regarding hermits, consecrated virgins, and new forms of consecrated life. It has no territorial limits, although certain questions may be remanded to other Vatican Congregations. The Congregation also handles matters concerning associations of the faithful formed with the intention of becoming institutes of consecrated life or societies of apostolic life, and for Third Orders Seculars. [2]

In 1994, the Congregation noted: [3]

In some places it seems that religious community has lost its relevance in the eyes of women and men religious and is perhaps no longer an ideal to be pursued. ...In many countries, increased state programs in areas in which religious have traditionally been active—such as social service, education and health—together with the decrease in vocations, have resulted in a diminished presence of religious in works which used to be typically those of apostolic institutes. ...it is necessary to have religious communities with a clear charismatic identity, assimilated and lived, capable of transmitting them to others and disposed to share them, religious communities with an intense spirituality and missionary enthusiasm for communicating the same spirit and the same evangelizing thrust; religious communities who know how to animate and encourage lay people to share the charism of their institute, according to their secular character and according to their different style of life, inviting them to discover new ways of making the same charism and mission operative.

On 21 November 2014, Pope Francis declared a "Year of Consecrated Life" to begin on 30 November 2014, the First Sunday of Advent and continue to the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, 2 February 2016. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life planned a number of initiatives to facilitate encounters between members of different expressions of consecrated and fraternal life in the various Churches. [4]

Pope Francis addressed the Congregation in January 2017 on the theme of "Fidelity and perseverance" saying, "it is clear that one must first let oneself be evangelised in order to engage in evangelisation." [5] [6]

Institute of consecrated life

Institutes of consecrated life are canonically erected institutes in the Roman Catholic Church whose members profess the evangelical counsels by vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. [7] There are two types:

Religious institutes

Religious institutes are characterized by the public profession of vows, communal life, and a degree of separation from the world. [8]

Orders

Some Institutes are called Orders. These are Institutes in which, for historical reasons or because of their character or nature, solemn vows are made by at least some of the members. All members of these orders are called regulars (because they are governed by a Rule (i.e. regula)), and if they are women they are called nuns ("moniales"). The orders are older than the congregations.

Congregations

Other religious institutes are called congregations. Their members make simple vows; women are called sisters.

Secular institutes

A secular institute is an organization of consecrated individuals who, unlike members of a religious institute who live in community, live in the world, and work for the sanctification of the world from within. [9]

Institutes may also be classified as a "clerical" or "lay institute" depending on whether the members exercise Holy Orders.(can. 588.2, and (can. 588.3).

Society of apostolic life

A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose and live fraternally.

Both Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life need the written approval of a bishop to operate within his diocese, although a diocesan bishop can establish an institute of consecrated life or society in his own territory, after consulting the Apostolic See. [10]

Leadership

Cardinal Prefect of Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
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Joao braz de aviz.jpg
Incumbent
João Braz de Aviz
since 2011
Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Style His Eminence
Member of Roman Curia
Reports to The Pope
Appointer The Pope
Term length Five years, renewable

As of 7 October 2023, the Prefect is Cardinal João Braz de Aviz; the secretary is Sister Simona Brambilla, M.C.; [11] the two undersecretaries are Father Pier Luigi Nava, S.S.M. [12] and Sister Carmen Ros Nortes, a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation. [13]

On 8 July 2019, in naming 21 new members to the Congregation, Pope Francis included women for the first time. all seven of them were superiors of their orders: Six are leaders of international religious orders, and one leads an institute of consecrated laywomen: [14] Kathleen Appler, Yvonne Reungoat, Françoise Massy, Luigia Coccia, Simona Brambilla, Rita Calvo Sanz and Olga Krizova. [15] [16] Catherine Clifford, of Saint Paul University in Ottawa, said "The recent move of Pope Francis represents a new and significant development in that it would give women a deliberative voice in the governing body of the congregation, which until now has been the domain of cardinals, bishops, and the heads of men's religious orders." [14]

Cardinal Prefects since 1908

Secretaries since 1908

See also

Related Research Articles

The Roman Curia comprises 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. It is at the service of the Pope, successor of Peter, and of the Bishops, successors of the Apostles, according to the modalities that are proper to the nature of each one, 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 mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith</span> Dicastery of the Roman Curia

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is the oldest among the departments of the Roman Curia. Its seat is the Palace of the Holy Office in Rome. It was founded to defend the Catholic Church from heresy and is the body responsible for promulgating and defending Catholic doctrine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious order (Catholic)</span> Catholic religious community living under solemn vows

In the Catholic Church, a religious order is a community of consecrated life with members that profess solemn vows. They are classed as a type of religious institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third order</span> Type of Christian religious order

The term third order signifies, in general, lay members of Christian religious orders, who do not necessarily live in a religious community such as a monastery or a nunnery, and yet can claim to wear the religious habit and participate in the good works of a great order. Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism all recognize third orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consecrated virgin</span> Consecrated, mystically betrothed to Christ and dedicated to the service of the Church

In the Catholic Church, a consecrated virgin is a woman who has been consecrated by the church to a life of perpetual virginity as a bride of Christ. Consecrated virgins are consecrated by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite.

A religious is, in the terminology of many Western Christian denominations, such as the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, and Anglican Communion, what in common language one would call a "monk" or "nun".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consecrated life</span> Type of lifestyle advocated by the Catholic Church

Consecrated life is a state of life in the Catholic Church lived by those faithful who are called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way. It includes those in institutes of consecrated life, societies of apostolic life, as well as those living as hermits or consecrated virgins/widows.

A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose and live fraternally. It is regarded as a form of consecrated life.

An institute of consecrated life is an association of faithful in the Catholic Church canonically erected by competent church authorities to enable men or women who publicly profess the evangelical counsels by religious vows or other sacred bonds "through the charity to which these counsels lead to be joined to the Church and its mystery in a special way". They are defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law under canons 573–730. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has ecclesial oversight of institutes of consecrated life.

A religious congregation is a type of religious institute in the Catholic Church. They are legally distinguished from religious orders – the other major type of religious institute – in that members take simple vows, whereas members of religious orders take solemn vows.

In the Catholic Church, a secular institute is one of the forms of consecrated life recognized in Church law.

A secular institute is an institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world, especially from within.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vocational discernment in the Catholic Church</span>

Vocational discernment is the process by which men and women in the Catholic Church discern, or recognize, their vocation in the church and the world. The vocations are the life of a layperson in the world, either married or single, the ordained life of bishops, priests, and deacons, and consecrated religious life.

1983 <i>Code of Canon Law</i> 1983 codification of canonical legislation for the Latin Catholic Church

The 1983 Code of Canon Law, also called the Johanno-Pauline Code, is the "fundamental body of ecclesiastical laws for the Latin Church". It is the second and current comprehensive codification of canonical legislation for the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. The 1983 Code of Canon Law was promulgated on 25 January 1983 by John Paul II and took legal effect on the First Sunday of Advent 1983. It replaced the 1917 Code of Canon Law which had been promulgated by Benedict XV on 27 May 1917.

A religious brother is a member of a religious institute or religious order who commits himself to following Christ in consecrated life of the Church, usually by the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. He is usually a layman and usually lives in a religious community and works in a ministry appropriate to his capabilities.

This is a glossary of terms used within the Catholic Church. Some terms used in everyday English have a different meaning in the context of the Catholic faith, including brother, confession, confirmation, exemption, faithful, father, ordinary, religious, sister, venerable, and vow.

"A religious institute is a society in which members, according to proper law, pronounce public vows, either perpetual or temporary which are to be renewed, however, when the period of time has elapsed, and lead a life of brothers or sisters in common."

In Catholicism, "of pontifical right" is the term given to ecclesiastical institutions either created by the Holy See, or approved by it with the formal decree known by the Latin name decretum laudis. The term is included in the names of institutions, often capitalised in English: "Institute of [xxx] of Pontifical Right".

Vultum Dei quaerere is an apostolic constitution issued by Pope Francis on 29 June 2016, regarding women's contemplative life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious sister</span> Woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute

A religious sister in the Catholic Church is a woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute dedicated to apostolic works, as distinguished from a nun who lives a cloistered monastic life dedicated to prayer. Both nuns and sisters use the term "sister" as a form of address.

Simona BrambillaISMC is an Italian Roman Catholic nun and missionary who led the women's branch of the Consolata Missionaries from 2011 to 2023 and became secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in October 2023, making her one of the highest-ranking women in the Roman Curia.

References

  1. O'Connell, Gerard. "With Pope Francis’ reform of the Roman Curia, nine years of work is coming to fruition", America, March 19, 2022
  2. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
  3. "Fraternal Life in Community", Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, February 19, 1994
  4. Pope Francis. "Apostolic Letter to all Consecrated People on the Occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life", November 21, 2014, Libreria Editrice Vaticana
  5. "Pope Francis’ Address to Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life", Zenit, January 30, 2017
  6. "Pope Francis greets Plenary of Congregation for Consecrated Life", Vatican Radio, January 28, 2017
  7. Code of Canon Law, canon 573
  8. Code of Canon Law, canon 709
  9. Code of Canon Law, canon 710
  10. Code of Canon Law, canons 312, 609–612, 679, 715
  11. 1 2 "Rinunce e nomine (continuazione), 07.10.2023" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  12. Gagliarducci, Andrea (27 November 2018). "Papa Francesco nomina un nuovo sottosegretario agli Istituti di Vita Consacrata" (in Spanish). ACI Stampa. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  13. Glatz, Carol (24 February 2018). "Pope names Spanish nun undersecretary of congregation for religious". Crux. Catholic News Service. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  14. 1 2 McElwee, Joshua J., "Theologians praise pope's historic appointment of women as members of Vatican congregation", National Catholic Reporter, July 11, 2019
  15. Gagliarducci, Andrea (8 July 2019). "Papa Francesco, sette donne tra i membri della Congregazione dei religiosi" (in Italian). ACI Stampa. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  16. "Resignations and Appointments, 08.07.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 8 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  17. "Resignations and Appointments, 14.09.2023" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.