Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Basic data
Surname:	Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (Latin Congregatio pro Institutis vitae consecratae et Societatibus vitae Apostolicae )
Seat:	Palazzo della Congregazioni Piazza Pio XII, 3 00193 Roma
Prefect :	Cardinal João Bráz de Aviz (since January 4, 2011)
Secretary:	Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo OFM (since April 6, 2013)
Undersecretaries:	Sr. Carmen Ros Nortes NSC Pier Luigi Nava SMM

The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life ( Latin : Congregatio pro Institutis vitae consecratae et Societatibus vitae Apostolicae ), also called Congregation for Religious , is a Vatican central authority (Curia authority). The functions of the Congregation include the recognition, legal regulation and disciplinary oversight of all institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life .

History and tasks

The congregation was founded by Pope Sixtus V as Congregatio per consultationibus episcoporum et regularium on May 21, 1556 and confirmed in the Immensa Constitution on January 21, 1588. With the Constitution Sapienti consilio of June 28, 1908, Pope Pius X divided the Congregation into the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for Religions . After Pope Paul VI. gave her the name Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes with the Apostolic Constitution Regimini ecclesiae universae on August 15, 1967 , she received her current name on June 28, 1988 from Pope John Paul II with the Constitution Pastor Bonus .

All approved institutes of apostolic and consecrated life belong to the jurisdiction of the congregation . Its members are collectively referred to as religious - hence the earlier name religious congregation . In addition to members of religious and secular institutes as well as apostolic societies, religious also include consecrated virgins and hermits . However, the supervision of individuals who are not part of an association is usually not the direct responsibility of the Roman congregation, but the respective bishop.

The Congregation acts on behalf of the Pope as the highest legal authority for questions of leadership, discipline and formation, the property and the rights and privileges of the institutes and societies under papal law subordinate to it. Ecclesiastical institutes or religious orders under episcopal law, on the other hand, are directly controlled by the bishop (or his rector or representative appointed at diocese level ) in whose diocese they work or were founded; they are only subject to the Congregation indirectly insofar as it can issue general rules about religious life or other consecrated forms of life to which the bishop is also bound.

The institutes and societies under papal law are obliged to submit annual reports to the Roman Congregation. Significant economic transactions and the establishment, merger or dissolution of these associations can only take place with the approval of the Congregation. It is also responsible for the granting of resignation indulges for perpetual professions and other decisions that are reserved for the Pope according to general canon law or the proper law of the associations. The superior generals or leaders of their subordinate communities are directly responsible to the congregation for their administration.

Members

The Congregation is presided over by a cardinal prefect. In addition to the prefect, the congregation includes cardinals, archbishops and bishops as well as religious superiors who are appointed by the Pope for a five-year term. Members of the congregation since July 2019 are: