Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, is pictured before a pre-synod gathering of youth delegates at the Pontifical International Maria Mater Ecclesiae College in Rome March 19. The pope has updated the statutes of the dicastery, eliminating the requirement that it have three separate sections for laity, family and life. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope calls dicastery to promote reflection on role of women

962 0

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has updated the statutes of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, adding among other things a specific reference to the office’s responsibility for promoting a deeper reflection on the role of women in the church and society.

“The dicastery works to deepen the reflection on the relationship between men and women in their respective specificity, reciprocity, complementarity and equal dignity,” the new statutes said. “Valuing the feminine ‘genius,’ it offers a contribution to ecclesial reflection on the identity and mission of women in the church and in society, promoting their participation.”

The new statutes, approved by the pope on an experimental basis, were released by the Vatican May 8 and were to go into force May 13. They replace statutes issued in June 2016, just before the new office began functioning under the leadership of U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell.

While most of the articles in the statutes were unchanged, the new set eliminated a requirement that the office have three separate sections — for laity, for family and for life — each presided over by an undersecretary. However, the new statutes said the office will have “at least two lay undersecretaries.”

The introductory article added a reference to how, “in accordance with the principles of collegiality, synodality and subsidiarity,” the dicastery is to maintain relations with national bishops’ conferences, dioceses and other church groups and promote collaboration among them.

And, in response to Pope Francis’ call in “Amoris Laetitia” to improve marriage preparation programs, the new statutes called on the dicastery to offer “guidelines for training programs for engaged couples preparing for marriage, and for young married couples.”

The statutes also gave the dicastery added responsibility for expressing “the pastoral care of the church also in relation to so-called ‘irregular’ situations,” which include cohabiting couples and couples who are divorced and civilly remarried.

The new document also expanded references to the office’s care for youths and young adults, promoting their involvement in the church and advocating for their needs in society.

The dicastery, it said, “expresses the particular concern of the church for the young, promoting their agency in the midst of the challenges of today’s world. It supports the initiatives of the Holy Father in the field of youth ministry and is at the service of the episcopal conferences, of international youth movements and associations, promoting their collaboration and organizing meetings on an international level.”

Related Post

Pedestrians walk by two iconic movie theaters along New York's 42nd Street -- the Regal and the AMC Empire -- Sept. 15, 2019. Since the 1930s the National Legion of Decency -- which became the National Catholic Office for Motion Pictures and eventually the Media Review Office of Catholic News Service -- has been providing ratings to help the Catholic audience understand the moral content of films. (CNS photo/Chaz Muth)

Encore: Catholic press continues mission to reach today’s film audiences

Posted by - January 18, 2020 0
NEW YORK (CNS) — The once influential Catholic film office had been able to get Hollywood studios to change content…
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, speaks at the Vatican June 13 about the theme of the first World Day of the Poor, to be celebrated Nov. 19. He said Pope Francis envisioned the day as a way for the whole church to reflect on the Gospel meaning of poverty. (CNS photo/Robert Duncan)

Poverty requires action, not empty words, pope says

Posted by - November 11, 2017 0
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — People cannot sit back and be indifferent or unresponsive to growing poverty in the world as…
Pope Francis embraces a female prisoner as he visits Cereso prison in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Feb. 17, 2016. Life has meaning and value "only in giving it in love, in truth, in giving it to others in daily life, in the family," the pope said Feb. 8, 2019, at morning Mass in the chapel of his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Life has meaning when given with love to others, pope says in homily

Posted by - February 16, 2019 0
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A life lived selfishly, corruptly or filled with hate is a life that is useless, shrivels…
Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, holds documents during a Sept. 18 Vatican news conference to announce synod changes. Also pictured is Greg Burke, Vatican spokesman. Pope Francis has issued an apostolic constitution, updating the rules of how the synod is prepared for, conducted and implemented. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Listening church: Pope gives new vision for Synod of Bishops

Posted by - September 22, 2018 0
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Synod of Bishops increasingly should be a structure for listening to the Catholic faithful, demonstrating…