Dicastery
Encyclopedia
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...

.
Apart from the Secretariat of State (or Papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

 Secretariat), these Dicasteries or Departments are grouped in the following categories:
  1. Congregations
    Congregation (Roman Curia)
    A congregation is a type of dicastery of the Roman Curia, the central administrative organism of the Catholic Church....

    , headed by a Prefect, who is most frequently a cardinal
    Cardinal (Catholicism)
    A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

    :
    1. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
      Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
      The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...

    2. The Congregation for the Oriental Churches
      Congregation for the Oriental Churches
      The Congregation for the Oriental Churches is the dicastery of the Roman Curia 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,...

    3. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
      Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
      The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...

    4. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints
      Congregation for the Causes of Saints
      The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...

    5. The Congregation for Bishops
      Congregation for Bishops
      The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...

    6. The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
      Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
      The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...

    7. The Congregation for the Clergy
      Congregation for the Clergy
      The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...

    8. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
      Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
      The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for everything which concerns institutes of consecrated life and Society of Apostolic Life regarding their government, discipline, studies, goods, rights, and...

    9. The Congregation for Catholic Education
      Congregation for Catholic Education
      The Congregation for Catholic Education is the Pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for: seminaries and houses of formation of...

       (for Seminaries and Educational Institutions)
  2. Tribunals:
    1. The Apostolic Penitentiary
      Apostolic Penitentiary
      The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of the three tribunals of the Roman Curia. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church.The...

      , headed by the Major Cardinal Penitentiary, for the "internal forum" (matters of conscience, absolution of censures)
    2. The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
      Apostolic Signatura
      The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...

      , headed by a Prefect
    3. The Tribunal of the Roman Rota, headed by the Dean, which judges cases such as those brought to prove the nullity of a marriage
  3. Pontifical Councils, each headed by a President
    1. The Pontifical Council for the Laity
      Pontifical Council for the Laity
      The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary is Bishop Josef...

    2. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
      Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
      The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently from 1962–1965.Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement...

    3. The Pontifical Council for the Family
      Pontifical Council for the Family
      The Pontifical Council for the Family is part of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. It was established by Pope John Paul II on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI had established in 1973...

    4. The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
      Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
      The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is a part of the Roman Curia dedicated to "action-oriented studies" for the international promotion of justice, peace, and human rights from the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church...

    5. The Pontifical Council Cor Unum
      Pontifical Council Cor Unum
      The Pontifical Council Cor Unum for Human and Christian Development is a part of the Curia of the Catholic Church. It was established by Pope Paul VI on 15 July 1971 and is based in the Palazzo San Callisto, in Piazza San Callisto, Rome....

    6. The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants
      Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants
      The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants is a dicastery of the Roman Curia...

    7. The Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers
    8. The Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts
    9. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
      Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
      The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a dicastery of the Roman Curia, erected by Pope Paul VI on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988....

    10. The Pontifical Council for Culture
      Pontifical Council for Culture
      The Pontifical Council for Culture is a department of the Roman Curia charged with fostering the relationship of the Catholic Church with different cultures. Pope John Paul II founded it on 20 May 1982...

    11. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications
      Pontifical Council for Social Communications
      The Pontifical Council for Social Communications is a dicastery of the Roman Curia...

  4. Offices:
    1. The Apostolic Camera
      Apostolic Camera
      The Apostolic Camera, or in Latin Camera Apostolica or Apostolica Camera, is the central board of finance in the Papal administrative system, which at one time was of great importance in the government of the States of the Church, and in the administration of justice, led by the Camerlengo of the...

      , headed by the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church
    2. The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See
    3. The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
      Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
      The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See is an office of the Roman Curia, erected on 15 August 1967, and entrusted with overseeing all the offices of the Holy See that manage finances, regardless of their degree of autonomy....

  5. Other bodies (not considered "dicasteries" but part of the Roman Curia as "institutes"):
    1. The Prefecture of the Papal Household (often referred to as the Audience Office)
    2. The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
      Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
      The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff is described in Pastor Bonus as:Art. 182 — § 1. The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff is to prepare all that is necessary for the liturgical and other sacred celebrations performed by the Supreme Pontiff...

    3. The Central Statistics Office of the Church
    4. Papal Commissions, of which the following are given special prominence:
      1. The Pontifical Commission for the Patrimony of the Church
      2. The Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology
      3. The Pontifical Biblical Commission
        Pontifical Biblical Commission
        The Pontifical Biblical Commission is an organism established within the Roman Curia to ensure the proper interpretation and defense of Sacred Scripture.-The Commission 1901-1971:...

      4. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei
        Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei
        The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei is a commission of the Catholic Church established by Pope John Paul II's motu proprio Ecclesia Dei of 2 July 1988 for the care of those former followers of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre who broke with him as a result of his consecration of four priests of his...

      5. The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
        Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
        The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is the legislative body of Vatican City...



The Commissions are often classified not as integral parts of the Roman Curia but rather as associated with it in a way similar to the way the Vatican Secret Archives
Vatican Secret Archives
The Vatican Secret Archives , located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated by the Holy See. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having primal incumbency until death, owns the archives until the next appointed Papal successor...

 and the Vatican Apostolic Library are connected with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

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