Thread by @joshjmac

Starting a thread of things that seem interesting in the Vatican's just-released text of #PopeFrancis' reorganization of the curia. (Text only in Italian for now).

Para 9: Francis wants to "move toward the intent of giving value to the potential" of bishops' conferences.

Para 10: "The pope, the bishops and the other ordained ministers are not the only evangelizers in the church."

"In the updating of the church, one cannot not take into account ... the involvement of laymen and laywomen, even in roles of governance and responsibility."

^Interesting on this point is they use Italian form specifying both lay men and women (laiche e laici)

Pope highlights 11 main aspects of reform: 1) Serving the pope; 2) "co-responsibility"; 3) Service to the bishops; 4) Support for local churches; 5) "vicarial" nature of the curia; 6) Spirituality; 7) Personal integrity; 8) Collaboration; 9) Inter-dicasterial meetings....

10) Catholic expression; 11) Reduction of number of dicasteries.

Art. 31: "It is a binding norm that in regards to important or extraordinary affairs, nothing can be done before the head of the curial institution communicates it to the Roman Pontifex."

Order of curia offices: 1) Secretary of State; 2) Dicastery for Evangelization; 3) Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; 4) Dicastery for the Service of Charity; 5) Dicastery for the Eastern churches... (and on).

The listing of the order of dicasteries appears to make quite clear the order of #PopeFrancis' priorities

(Sorry, Dicastery for Communication)

New Dicastery for Evangelization falls directly under papal control (like how the so-called Holy Office used to be).

It will be "directly" presided by the pope, who will be aided by two Pro-Prefects.

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith gets a mission statement that sounds a little new:

"The work of the dicastery ... is to help the Roman Pontifex and the bishops in announcing the Gospel in all the parts of the world...."

"... promoting and caring for the integrity of Catholic doctrine on faith and morals, drawing from the deposit of the faith and looking again at it, always with a deeper intelligence before new questions."

Doctrinal section of CDF should "favor and support the study and reflection on the understanding of the faith and customs and of the development of theology in diverse cultures, in the light of doctrine and the challenges of the times..."

Doctrinal section of CDF can examine writings and opinions that "appear contrary or dangerous" to the faith, but "searching of dialogue with their authors, and presenting them suitable remedies"

#PopeFrancis places his clergy abuse commission (@TutelaMinorum) inside the new Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in order to help church "develop strategies and procedures ... to protect minors and vulnerable persons from sexual abuse."

^ This is a big change. I wonder what @marielco thinks. (Hi, Marie).

New mission for the Dicastery of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:

"The dicastery... promotes the sacred liturgy according to the renewal undertaken by the Second Vatican Council."

I think I just heard a BOOM somewhere.

"The dicastery will handle the regulation and discipline regarding the extraordinary form of the Roman rite."

"The dicastery collaborates with the diocesan bishops so that cultural expressions of pious exercises of the Christian people may conform incrementally with the norms of the church, in harmony with the sacred liturgy..."

Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity:

"It is the work of this dicastery to realize the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and of the post-conciliar magisterium concerning ecumenism."

Dicastery for Inter-religious Dialogue:

"The dicastery works so that dialogue with believers of other religions are conducted with an attitude of listening, esteem and respect."

Unlike in earlier drafts, the final text of the curial reform does not change the way the camerlengo is chosen. (The camerlengo is a cardinal tasked with temporarily heading the church upon the death or resignation of a pope.) The official remains chosen by the current pope.

(In other words, seems like Cardinal Farrell, @FarrellCardinal, is keeping the job.)

That's about it from me. I'll note that the text says it was signed by Francis just today -- so it seems like the pope ordered the #Vatican to put it out immediately, not to wait for translations or any delays. (After nine years of working on the thing...)

The new text goes into effect on June 5, at which point Pope John Paul II's 1988 organization of the Roman Curia (title: Pastor Bonus) ceases to have any effect.