In a letter-issued motu proprio (of his own accord) on Feb. 14, Pope Francis split the tasks of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) into a doctrinal section and a disciplinary section.
Newsroom (16/02/2022 1:30 PM Gaudium Press) The restructuring of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) goes into effect immediately. In his apostolic letter, Pope Francis stated that the changes to the CDF’s organization have been made “in view of the experience gained during this time by the Congregation in various areas of work, and the need to give it an approach more suited to the fulfillment of the functions proper to it.” This was the 48th motu proprio since his election in 2013, confirming that this is Pope Francis’ preferred mode of instituting change. CDF Prefect Cardinal Luis Ladaria, who will turn 78 in April, is also expected to be replaced within the year.
Currently, the Curia operates under the 1988 apostolic constitution Pastor bonus (“The Good Shepherd”). The document issued by Pope John Paul II remains in force, although much of it has been overtaken by events and the decisions of Pope Francis.
Several departments mentioned in the 1988 text are now defunct or exist in a different form.
In practice, however, Pope Francis has implemented the reform of the Curia personally, before the publication of a comprehensive document and often without even waiting for the meetings of the Council of Cardinals.
Today, the Roman Curia includes the Secretariat for the Economy, the Council for the Economy, the Dicastery for Communication, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. But Pastor bonus predates these entities, so they are not yet grounded in an apostolic constitution.
From four offices to two
The Congregation previously consisted of four offices: one was disciplinary, another doctrinal, and a third matrimonial. There was also a fourth section, which, we read in the Pontifical Yearbook of 2021, had “the task of following the question of relations with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X [SSPX], the application of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, the life of institutes already submitted to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, and, in a general way, the things pertaining to celebrations according to the ancient liturgy, defined as the ‘extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.’”
The fourth section had no reason to exist after the publication of the 2021 motu proprio Traditionis custodes (“Guardians of the Tradition”), which revoked Benedict XVI’s provisions on using the ancient rite and redefined the concessions as bi-ritualism, that is, the use of a double rite. In practice, the Old Rite was no longer considered an “extraordinary form” of the Roman Rite but rather as another rite.
The fourth section was established after Pope Francis closed the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in 2019. The commission was created within the Congregation precisely to look after relations with the SSPX. The commission’s closure also came via a motu proprio.
The separate marriage office is closed, while the Congregation is re-established in two distinct sections, with two different secretaries.
The Doctrinal Section
In his motu proprio, Pope Francis said the CDF’s two sections will each be coordinated by a secretary whose job is to assist the prefect. Each section will also have an under-secretary who collaborates with the secretary and other heads of office.
The Doctrinal Section is responsible for matters “having to do with the promotion and protection of the doctrine of faith and morals.” This includes promoting studies related to the transmission of the faith “at the service of evangelization, so that its light may be a criterion for understanding the meaning of life, especially in the face of questions posed by the progress of the sciences and the development of society,” Pope Francis said.
The Doctrinal Section examines curial documents before publication to ensure they are doctrinally sound. Pope Francis said it will also examine “writings and opinions which appear problematic for the correct faith, encouraging dialogue with their authors and proposing the appropriate suitable remedies to be applied.”
The section will also be responsible for issues regarding Anglican personal ordinariates.
The Disciplinary Section
The Disciplinary Section, instead, deals with certain serious canonical crimes. The disciplinary office already existed. With the reforms desired first by John Paul II and then by Benedict XVI, the CDF became an essential reference point for dealing with abuse.
Regarding delicta graviora — the most serious crimes, including clerical sex abuse — there was mostly a problem of case management. In 2014, Pope Francis had established a college within the CDF for the examination of ecclesiastical appeals involving delicta graviora, Serious Crimes. The college’s regulations were further defined in 2018.
The college has 11 members, chaired by Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna, the CDF’s adjunct secretary. It was set up specifically to take charge of the appeals. In 2001, John Paul II had established that appeals should instead be discussed during the ordinary session of the Congregation, the so-called Feria IV (because the meetings take place on Wednesdays.)
The disciplinary section will now have greater autonomy, presumably in terms of budget. This suggests perhaps that, to tackle the mass of cases, the section will turn to ad hoc commissions, with external and internal members, moving away from the collegial work that had always characterized the Congregation.
With Monday’s motu proprio, the CDF acquires centrality and autonomy. But the result is that it will need help in case management. For this, it is likely to seek help from local Churches or external commissions, practically putting into practice the principle of decentralization that Pope Francis has been talking about since 2013.
The disciplinary section also retains responsibility for fostering “a correct understanding and application of the canonical norms relating to their area of competence,” appearing to settle questions about the Congregation’s interpretive role concerning penal law.
(Via CNA and The Pillar)
Compiled by Raju Hasmukh
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