Without prior notice, Pope Francis published the new version of the Curia for the Vatican in March. It comes into force on Pentecost Sunday and allows women to hold leadership positions in the Vatican in the future.
“Preadicate Gospel” is the name of the new version of the Curia, which will come into force on Pentecost Sunday in the Vatican. With this, Pope Francis is reorganizing the authorities of the Catholic Church. Observers saw in the reform a clear will to reform on the part of the 85-year-old head of the Catholic Church. Among other things, with the new constitution lay people and thus also women can lead dicasteries – something like ministries in the Vatican and thus the highest curia offices. This was previously only reserved for cardinals and archbishops and thus exclusively for men.
Also, Francis placed the Curia more at the service of bishops around the world. In the approximately 50-page document with 250 paragraphs, he spoke of “healthy decentralization” and leaving competence to the “shepherds”.
Pope Francis wants to give more weight to the spread of the faith
The document appeared unannounced on March 19 of this year. But it had been expected for a long time. A council had been working on the elaboration for years. The new constitution replaced Pope John Paul II’s 1988 “Pastor Bonus” (the good shepherd) order.
Francis also reorganized the councils, congregations and dicasteries and unified their names. They all now run under the Dicastery category. First and foremost is the Dicastery for Evangelization, headed by the Pope himself, which is also a sign from Francis to give more weight to the spread of the faith. The pontifex also upgraded the alms office, which takes care of the needs of the needy, to a dicastery.
