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Vatican News

Functions and tasks of the Dicastery for Evangelization according to the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia and its service to the Church in the World (19 March 2022).

Art. 53

§ 1. The Dicastery serves the work of evangelization, so that Christ, the light of the nations, may be known and witnessed to by word and deed, and the Church, his mystical Body, may be built up. The Dicastery is competent for fundamental questions regarding evangelization in the world and for the establishment, assistance and support of new particular Churches, without prejudice to the competence of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.

§ 2. The Dicastery is composed of two Sections: the Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World and the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches within the territories of its competence.

Art. 54

The Dicastery for Evangelization is presided over directly by the Roman Pontiff. Each of the two Sections is directed in his name and by his authority by a Pro-Prefect, who is assisted in accordance with the norms of Art. 14 § 2.

Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World

Art. 55

§ 1. It is the task of this Section to study, in cooperation with the particular Churches, Episcopal Conferences and the hierarchical structures of the Eastern Churches, and Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, fundamental questions regarding evangelization and the development of an effective proclamation of the Gospel, discerning suitable ways, means and language to carry it out. The Section gathers the most significant experiences in the area of evangelization and places them at the disposal of the entire Church.

§ 2. The Section encourages reflection on the history of evangelization and mission, especially in relation to the political, social and cultural contexts that have marked and conditioned the preaching of the Gospel.

Art. 56

§ 1. The Section, through studies and exchanges of experiences, supports the particular Churches in the process of inculturating the Good News of Jesus Christ in different cultures and ethnic groups and the evangelization of the same, with particular attention to popular piety.

§ 2. In promoting and supporting popular piety, it is particularly attentive to international shrines. The Section is competent to erect international shrines and to approve their respective statutes, in conformity with canonical requirements, and, in cooperation with diocesan/eparchial Bishops, Episcopal Conferences and the hierarchical structures of the Eastern Churches, to promote an organic pastoral care in these shrines, as dynamic centres of continuing evangelization.

Art. 57

In light of political, social and cultural challenges, the Section:

1. promotes evangelization through discernment of the signs of the times and study of the social-economic and environmental conditions of the recipients of the preaching of the Gospel;

2. studies and promotes the renewal that the Gospel brings in its encounter with the various cultures and with all matters concerning the promotion of human dignity and religious freedom. In close cooperation with the particular Churches, Episcopal Conferences and hierarchical structures of the Eastern Churches, it helps and encourages the spread and application of the Church鈥檚 teaching on the encounter between the Gospel and the various cultures. Since evangelization implies a fundamental option for the poor, it organizes the World Day of the Poor;

3. assists and supports the initiatives of diocesan/eparchial Bishops, Episcopal Conferences and the hierarchical structures of the Eastern Churches for the preaching of the Gospel.

Art. 58

§ 1. The Section is competent for catechesis, placing itself at the service of the particular Churches as they carry out their duty to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the baptized in their daily Christian living, to those who show a certain degree of faith but without a sufficient knowledge of its foundations, to those who feel the need to learn more about the teaching they have received, and to those who have abandoned the faith or no longer profess it.

§ 2. The Section exercises vigilance to ensure that religious instruction is properly imparted and catechetical formation carried out in accordance with the norms laid down by the Church鈥檚 magisterium. It is likewise competent to grant the required confirmation of the Apostolic See for catechisms and other texts relative to catechetical instruction, with the consent of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Art. 59

§ 1. Since every member of the people of God, by virtue of baptism, is a missionary disciple of the Gospel, the Section supports the growth of this awareness and responsibility, so that each individual may effectively cooperate in missionary work in his or her daily life, through prayer, witness and works.

§ 2. Evangelization takes place especially by the proclamation of divine mercy, in a variety of forms and expressions. In a particular way, the specific activity of the Missionaries of Mercy contributes to this end; the Section promotes and supports their training and provides criteria for their pastoral activity.

Art. 60

§ 1. In the context of evangelization, the Section affirms and promotes religious freedom in all social and political settings, in the real situations of the world. In this regard, the Section also avails itself of the cooperation of the Secretariat of State.

§ 2. As an approach to evangelization, the Section encourages and supports, in cooperation with the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Dicastery for Culture and Education, and in accordance with their specific competencies, opportunities for encounter and dialogue with members of other religions and those of no religion.

Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches

Art. 61

This Section supports the proclamation of the Gospel and the deepening of the life of faith in territories of the first evangelization and is responsible for all that concerns the erection or modification of ecclesiastical circumscriptions, their provision and carries out other tasks, analogous to those carried out by the Dicastery for Bishops in the area of its own competence.

Art. 62

The Section, in accordance with the principle of just autonomy, supports new particular Churches in the work of initial evangelization and in their growth, in cooperation with the particular Churches, Episcopal Conferences, Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, associations, ecclesial movements, new communities and ecclesial welfare agencies.

Art. 63

The Section cooperates with Bishops, Episcopal Conferences and Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in fostering missionary vocations on the part of clerics, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and laity, as well as in training the secular clergy and catechists in the territories subject to the Dicastery, without prejudice to the competencies of other Dicasteries in specific areas such as: the academic training of clerics, institutes of higher education, formation and culture.

Art. 64

§ 1. The Section promotes the exchange of experiences within new particular Churches and between them and Churches of older date.

§ 2. It assists the integration of new particular Churches and encourages other Churches to offer them solidary and fraternal support.

§ 3. It provides and organizes courses of initial and continuing formation for Bishops and those equivalent to them, within the territories of its competence.

Art. 65

To increase missionary cooperation, the Section:

1. seeks to help new particular Churches to become financially independent by working with them to create the necessary conditions for this;

2. helps to establish the funds needed to support new particular Churches and to prepare competent personnel for collecting those funds and for cooperating with other particular Churches;

3. promotes among new particular Churches and their groupings the creation of agencies of administration and oversight for the effective use of resources and the quality of investments;

4. supports new particular Churches in the management of personnel.

Art. 66

The Section handles everything having to do with the quinquennial reports and the visits ad limina Apostolorum of the particular Churches entrusted to its care.

Art. 67

§ 1. The Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches is entrusted with the Pontifical Mission Societies: the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of Saint Peter the Apostle, the Holy Childhood Association and the Pontifical Missionary Union of Priests and Religious, as instruments for promoting responsibility for the missions on the part of all the baptized and for the support of new particular Churches. 

§ 2. The management of the economic subsidies designated for missionary work and their equitable distribution are entrusted to the Adjunct Secretary of the Section who holds the position of President of the Pontifical Mission Societies.

Art. 68

The patrimony set aside for the missions is administered through its own special office, headed by the Adjunct Secretary of the Section, without prejudice to the obligation to render due account to the Secretariat for the Economy.