| PONTIFICAL COUNCILS Pontifical Council for the
Laity
President: Cardinal James Francis Stafford
Secretary: Bishop Stanislaw Rylko
Undersecretary: Prof. Guzmin Carriquiry
This council is competent in those matters which pertain
to the Apostolic See in promoting and coordinating the apostolate of the lay persons and,
generally, in those things which look to the Christian life of lay persons as such. The
norms were published in the apostolic letter, "Catholicam Christi Ecclesiam" of
January 6, 1967 (AAS, LIX, pp. 25-28).
Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity
President: Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy
Secretary: Bishop Pierre Duprey, M.Afr.
Adjunct Secretary: Bishop Jean-Claude Perisset
Undersecretary: Mons. Eleuterio Francesco Fortino
The function of this Council is to concentrate in an
appropriate way on initiatives and ecumenical activities for the restoration of unity
among Christians. It has charge of relations with those of other communities; considers
the correct interpretation and observance of the principles of ecumenism; promotes
Catholic groups and coordinates the efforts at unity, both on the national and
international levels; institutes colloquies on ecumenical questions and activities with
Churches and ecclesial communities separated from the Holy See; deputes Catholic observers
for Christian congresses; invites to Catholic gatherings observers of the separated
brethren; orders into practice conciliar decrees on ecumenical matters. Furthermore, it is
competent for all questions concerning religious relations with Judaism.
Commission for
Religious Relations with Jews
President: Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy
Vice-President: Bishop Pierre Duprey, M.Afr.
Secretary: Fr Remi Hoeckman, O.P
This commission is responsible for all questions
concerning religious relations with Judaism.
Pontifical Council
for the Family
President: Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo
Secretary: Bishop Francisco Gil Hellin
Undersecretary: Mons. Francesco Di Felice
This Council promotes the pastoral care of families and
fosters their rights and dignity in the Church and in civil society, in order that they
might ever more suitably fulfill their own functions.
Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace
President: Archbishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan
Secretary: Mons. Diarmuid Martin
Undersecretary: Mons. Giampaolo Crepaldi
This Council looks to those things which will promote
justice and peace in the world according to the gospel and the social teaching of the
Church.
Pontifical Council Cor
Unum (One Heart)
President: Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes
Secretary: Mons. Karel Kasteel
Undersecretary: Mons. Francisco Azcona San Martin
This Council shows the solicitude of the Catholic Church
toward the needy, in order that human fraternity might be fostered and the charity of
Christ be made manifest.
Pontifical Council
for the Pastoral Care
of Migrants and Itinerant People
President: Archbishop Stephen Fumio Hamao
Secretary: Archbishop Francesco Gioia, O.F.M.Cap.
Undersecretary: Mons. Giuseppe De Andrea
This Council directs the pastoral concern of the Church
toward the special needs of those who are forced to leave their own native land or who
perhaps lack one; it also sees that there is appropriate study of the questions which
touch on this matter.
Pontifical Council
for Pastoral Assistance
to Health-Care Workers
President: Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragan
Secretary: Fr Jose Luis Redrado Marchite, O.H.
Undersecretary: Fr Felice Ruffini, O.S.Cam.
This Council shows the solicitude of the Church for the
sick by aiding those who carry out a ministry toward the sick and suffering, in order that
the apostolate of mercy, which they carry out, may ever more suitably respond to new
needs.
Pontifical
Council for the
Interpretation of Legislative Texts
President: Archbishop Julian Herranz
Secretary: Bishop Bruno Bertagna
Undersecretary: Fr Marino Maccarelli, O.S.M.
The function of this Council consists especially in
interpreting the Church's laws, especially the Code of Canon Law.
Pontifical
Council for Interreligious Dialogue
President: Cardinal Francis Arinze
Secretary: Bishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, M.Afr.
Undersecretary: Fr John Bosco Masayuki Shirieda, S.D.B.
This Council fosters and moderates relations with
members and bodies of religions which do not carry the name of Christian, as well as with
those who in any way possess a religious spirit. It fosters studies and promotes relations
with non-Christians to bring about an increase in mutual respect and seeks ways to
establish a dialogue with them; it receives and carefully weighs the wishes of the
Ordinaries; it provides for the formation of those who participate in dialogue.
Commission for
Religious Relations with Muslims
President: Cardinal Francis Arinze
Vice-President: Bishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, M.Afr.
Secretary: Fr Khaled Akasheh
Pontifical Council
for Culture
President: Cardinal Paul Poupard
Secretary: Fr Bernard Ardura, O.Praem.
Undersecretary: Fr Fabio Duque JaramiIlo, O.F.M.
The Council embodies the Church's pastoral concern over
the relationship between faith and cultures. Its tasks include: studying unbelief and
religious indifference, as present in different cultures; supporting the Church's
inculturation of the Gospel; promotion initiatives of dialogue between faith and culture,
as well as dialogue with those who do not believe in God. Its activities include seminars,
intercultural exchanges, and coordinating the activities of Pontifical Academies and the
Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Church. An important hope of the
Council is to show faith as the inspiration of science, literature and the arts.
Pontifical
Council for Social Communications
President: Archbishop John Patrick Foley
Secretary: Bishop Pierfranco Pastore
Undersecretary: Mr Hans-Peter Rothlin
This Council is involved in questions touching on the
instruments of social communication so that the proclamation of salvation and human
progress might be promoted even through them in order to foster civil culture.
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