Reform of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

As part of the measures taken by Pope Francisco to accelerate the disciplinary processes of the church, the pontiff has reformed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Among these disciplinary processes are the innumerable cases of abuse that tarnish the image of the catholic church.

Pope Francisco has prepared the papal document (motu proprio) “Serve faithfully”, to make changes to the structure of the congregation, whose main responsibility is to safeguard the faith. This division of the church is under the leadership of its prefect Luís Ladaria Ferrer, a Jesuit of Spanish origin.

The document, dated February 11 of this year, was recently disclosed by the Vatican. In the text, the separation of the two competences of the congregation is clearly executed: the doctrinal one in charge of protecting the faith, and the disciplinary one that manages the crimes that threaten morality.

The disciplinary area

The disciplinary section will be responsible for handling and processing all criminal cases managed by the Congregation, through the jurisdiction of the Supreme Apostolic Court.

It is in this area where cases of sexual abuse or abuse of power by priests will be dealt with.

With the idea of ​​clarifying and attacking this situation that has caused so much damage to the church, the pontiff has been working and making various changes:

  • On October 11, he reissued the crimes for which the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith could file suit against cardinals, bishops, patriarchs, and apostolic legates, among other members of the high hierarchy of the church.
  • This document establishes in its article 6 that the violation of the Sixth Commandment by any cleric against a minor or a person with a disability, will be classified as a “serious crime against decency”. The sixth commandment states: “You shall not commit impure acts.” In addition, it is also indicated that the priest’s ignorance of the minor’s age will be treated as a mitigating factor during the trial.
  • In December 2021, Pope Francisco issued a new version of the document called “norms on the most serious crimes reserved for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.” In other words, those acts that especially harm the Roman Church.

Additionally, the Doctrine of the Faith is also responsible for judging priests who acquire, possess, exhibit or disclose, for profit or libidinous purposes, photographs of a pornographic nature that have minors as protagonists.

The doctrinal area

The Doctrinal section’s job is to promote and protect doctrine, morals and faith. In addition, it must also ensure the execution of the necessary studies to spread Catholicism on the planet.

Reform of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

In this area, all the documents that have been published by other entities of the Roman Curia, as well as those that contain problematic content, must be studied and analyzed. All this with the idea of ​​maintaining a straight faith.

Speeding up abuse trials

By separating the two sections of the Congregation, the pope seeks to optimize the response time and processing of cases of abuse committed by members of the church.

What Francisco wants is to promote a proper administration of justice. To do this, each area, both doctrinal and disciplinary, will have a secretary and greater autonomy.

The pontiff continues to work diligently to find a solution to one of the biggest problems facing the Holy See. And it is that the abuses denounced in various countries have undermined the image of the Catholic Church to its foundations.

For Francisco, the time has come to start clearing the name of the clergy, and for this he has been making the necessary changes. We hope that the pope’s effort obtains the desired results for all.

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