Congregation for Bishops
Encyclopedia
The Congregation for Bishops (Congregatio pro Episcopis) is the congregation
of the Roman Curia
which oversees the selection of new bishop
s that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal
approval. It also schedules the papal audiences
required quinquennially for bishops and arranges the creation of new dioceses.
The Congregation for Bishops has its origins in the "Congregation for the Erection of Churches and Consistorial Provisions" founded by Pope Sixtus V
on 22 January 1588. Before the Second Vatican Council
, when the pope was announcing the names of new cardinals at a Secret Consistory (that is when, emperors, kings, princes or electors of the Holy Roman Empire were not present), the names of the newly appointed cardinals would be read out then those of Bishops and Archbishops were also announced. This is the reason why, until 1967, the congregation now known as Congregation for Bishops was called Sacred Consistorial Congregation. The current Prefect (since 30 June 2010) is Cardinal
Marc Ouellet. The current Secretary (since 3 July 2009) is Archbishop
Manuel Monteiro de Castro
. The current Undersecretary (since 1993) is Monsignor
Giovanni Maria Rossi.
. During a Papal election the secretary of the Congregation acts as the secretary to the Conclave.
Congregation (Roman Curia)
A congregation is a type of dicastery of the Roman Curia, the central administrative organism of the Catholic Church....
of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
which oversees the selection of new bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Congregation for the Oriental Churches
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches is the dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical,...
who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
approval. It also schedules the papal audiences
Quinquennial Visit Ad Limina
In the Roman Catholic Church, a quinquennial visit ad limina or more properly, quinquennial visit ad limina apostolorum or simply an ad limina visit means the obligation of residential diocesan bishops and certain prelates with territorial jurisdiction , of visiting the thresholds of the [tombs of...
required quinquennially for bishops and arranges the creation of new dioceses.
The Congregation for Bishops has its origins in the "Congregation for the Erection of Churches and Consistorial Provisions" founded by Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V , born Felice Peretti di Montalto, was Pope from 1585 to 1590.-Early life:The chronicler Andrija Zmajević states that Felice's family originated from modern-day Montenegro...
on 22 January 1588. Before the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, when the pope was announcing the names of new cardinals at a Secret Consistory (that is when, emperors, kings, princes or electors of the Holy Roman Empire were not present), the names of the newly appointed cardinals would be read out then those of Bishops and Archbishops were also announced. This is the reason why, until 1967, the congregation now known as Congregation for Bishops was called Sacred Consistorial Congregation. The current Prefect (since 30 June 2010) is Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Marc Ouellet. The current Secretary (since 3 July 2009) is Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Manuel Monteiro de Castro
Manuel Monteiro de Castro is the current secretary of the Congregation for Bishops since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 3 July 2009.-Career in Church diplomacy:He was a priest in the Archdiocese of Braga...
. The current Undersecretary (since 1993) is Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Giovanni Maria Rossi.
Secretaries of the Congregation for the Erection of Churches and Consistorial Provisions (1588-1965)
- Domenico Riviera (1710-1730)
- Niccola Clarelli ParraccianiNiccola Clarelli ParraccianiNiccola Clarelli Parracciani was a Catholic Cardinal and was Arch-Priest of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican....
(1860-1872 ?) - Carmine Gori-Merosi (1882-1886)
- Carlo NocellaCarlo NocellaCarlo Nocella was an Italian cardinal. He was Secretary of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation , Latin Patriarch of Antioch , and Latin Patriarch of Constantinople ....
(1892-1903) - Gaetano de LaiGaetano de LaiGaetano de Lai was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was part of the Roman Curia. He was an outspoken defender of the French monarchist Action française....
(1908-1928) - Carlo PerosiCarlo PerosiCarlo Perosi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation from 1928 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1926.-Biography:...
(1928-1930) - Raffaele RossiRaffaele RossiRaffaele Carlo Rossi, OCD was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of Sacred Consistorial Congregation in the Roman Curia from 1930 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1930.-Biography:Born in Pisa, Raffaele Rossi entered the Discalced...
(1930-1948) - Adeodato Giovanni Piazza (1948-1957)
- Marcello MimmiMarcello MimmiMarcello Mimmi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Naples from 1952 to 1957, and Secretary of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation from 1957 until his death...
(1957-1961) - Carlo Confalonieri (1961-1965)
Congregation of Bishops (since 1965)
In 1965, the head of the congregation took the title prefect, while the prefect's deputy took that of secretary.Prefects
- Carlo Confalonieri (1965 - 1973)
- Sebastiano Baggio (1973 - 1984)
- Bernardin Gantin (1984 - 1998)
- Lucas Moreira NevesLucas Moreira NevesLucas Moreira Neves O.P. was a Brazilian Cardinal Bishop and Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.Neves was born in São João del Rei, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. He was ordained a priest on 9 July 1950...
, OPDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
(1998 - 2000) - Giovanni Cardinal Re (2000 - 2010)
- Marc Ouellet (2010 - present)
Secretaries
The secretary of the Congregation for Bishops is concurrently the secretary of the College of CardinalsCollege of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
. During a Papal election the secretary of the Congregation acts as the secretary to the Conclave.
- Francesco CarpinoFrancesco CarpinoFrancesco Carpino S.T.D. was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Palermo.He was born in Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily, Italy as the third of five children of Salvatore Carpino, who was the owner of a small rural estate. He was educated at the Seminary of Noto from 1914 to 1919...
(1961 - 1967) - Ernesto CivardiErnesto CivardilomErnesto Civardi was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for Bishops from 1967 to 1979, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1979.-Biography:...
(1967 - 1979) - Lucas Moreira NevesLucas Moreira NevesLucas Moreira Neves O.P. was a Brazilian Cardinal Bishop and Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.Neves was born in São João del Rei, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. He was ordained a priest on 9 July 1950...
, OPDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
(1979 - 1987), - Giovanni Battista Re (1987 - 1989)
- Justin Francis Rigali (1989 - 1994)
- Jorge María MejíaJorge María MejíaJorge María Mejía is an Argentine Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is Archivist Emeritus of the Holy Roman Church and Librarian Emeritus of the Holy Roman Church.-Early life and ordination:...
(1994 - 1998) - Francesco MonterisiFrancesco MonterisiFrancesco Marco Nicola Monterisi is an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life and ordination:After his elementary and secondary studies in Barletta, he entered the Pontifical Minor Seminary, Rome; and then, the Pontifical Major Seminary...
(1998 - 2009) - Manuel Monteiro de CastroManuel Monteiro de CastroManuel Monteiro de Castro is the current secretary of the Congregation for Bishops since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 3 July 2009.-Career in Church diplomacy:He was a priest in the Archdiocese of Braga...
(2009 - present)