Curia (Roman Catholic Church)
Encyclopedia
In Roman Catholicism, a curia consists of a group of officials who assist in the governance of a particular Church
. These curias range from the relatively simple diocesan curia, to the larger patriarchal curias, to the Roman Curia
, which is the central government of the Catholic Church.
Other bodies, such as religious order
s, may also have curias. For example, the Legion of Mary
has a rank called the Curia. It stands above the Praesidium but below the Regia
. The Curia is responsible for several Praesidia.
All of these have now very different functions from the Curia in Roman times, but they keep the name since they are historically descended from it. In other words, when the Roman Empire
collapsed, many of the administrative functions previously done by the state where subsumed by the only solid institution left, which was the church. The Bishop
and its clergy basically took the place of the officials that the government used to send, to the point of actually sitting at the same chair in the same building. So the Curia passed in religious hands, and afterwards changed functions many times but always keeping its traditional name, at least in those Christian denominations that still keep a strong continuity with the Apostolic tradition
.
and eparchy
has a curia, consisting of the chief officials of the diocese. These officials assist the diocesan bishop
in governing the particular church.
This diocesan curia includes the vicar general
, who is normally also the moderator of the curia
, any episcopal vicars, the chancellor
of the curia, vice-chancellors and notaries, and a finance officer and financial council. The bishop may also add other officials of his choice.
or major archbishop
in administering the sui juris church. The patriarchal curia is distinct from the diocesan or eparchal curia of the patriarch or major archbishop's diocese or eparchy.
The patriarchal curia consists of the permanent synod of the Church, the chancellor, assistant chancellor, and notaries, the patriarchal finance officer, the patriarchal liturgical commission and other patriarchal commissions, and the patriarchal tribunal. Up to three bishops may be elected specifically to serve in the patriarchal curia.
If anyone who want to study on this subject refer to the Patriarchal and Major Archiepiscopal Curia, the doctoral thesis: "Patriarchal and Major Archiepiscopal Curia in the Eastern Catholic Legislation based on CCEO Canons 114-125" by Dr. Francis Eluvathingal, published in Aug. 2009.
retains an assembly called the Roman Curia
, which assists the Pope
in governing the Latin patriarchate and the entire Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Curia includes the Secretariat of State
, the Curial Congregations
, the Pontifical Council
s, Pontifical Commission
s, the tribunal
s, and other offices.
Particular Church
In Catholic canon law, a Particular Church is an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognised as the equivalent of a bishop.There are two kinds of particular Churches:# Local particular Churches ...
. These curias range from the relatively simple diocesan curia, to the larger patriarchal curias, to 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 is the central government of the Catholic Church.
Other bodies, such as religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
s, may also have curias. For example, the Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
has a rank called the Curia. It stands above the Praesidium but below the Regia
Regia
The Regia was a structure in Ancient Rome, located in the Roman Forum. It was originally the residence of the kings of Rome or at least their main headquarters, and later the office of the Pontifex Maximus, the high priest of Roman religion. It occupied a triangular patch of terrain between the...
. The Curia is responsible for several Praesidia.
All of these have now very different functions from the Curia in Roman times, but they keep the name since they are historically descended from it. In other words, when the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
collapsed, many of the administrative functions previously done by the state where subsumed by the only solid institution left, which was the church. The 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...
and its clergy basically took the place of the officials that the government used to send, to the point of actually sitting at the same chair in the same building. So the Curia passed in religious hands, and afterwards changed functions many times but always keeping its traditional name, at least in those Christian denominations that still keep a strong continuity with the Apostolic tradition
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
.
Diocesan curia
Every dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
and eparchy
Eparchy
Eparchy is an anglicized Greek word , authentically Latinized as eparchia and loosely translating as 'rule over something,' like province, prefecture, or territory, to have the jurisdiction over, it has specific meanings both in politics, history and in the hierarchy of the Eastern Christian...
has a curia, consisting of the chief officials of the diocese. These officials assist the diocesan 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...
in governing the particular church.
This diocesan curia includes the vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
, who is normally also the moderator of the curia
Moderator of the Curia
A moderator of the curia, under the authority of the bishop of a diocese in the Catholic Church, coordinates the exercise of the administrative duties and oversees those who hold offices and minister in diocesan administration. He must be a priest. The office has been variously described as...
, any episcopal vicars, the chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the curia, vice-chancellors and notaries, and a finance officer and financial council. The bishop may also add other officials of his choice.
Patriarchal curia
Patriarchates and Major Archiepiscopates of the Eastern Catholic Churches have an assembly called the Patriarchal Curia, which assists the patriarchPatriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
or major archbishop
Major Archbishop
right|200 px|thumb|Archbishop [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk]], Major Archbishop of Kyiv-HalychIn the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous particular Church that an Eastern patriarch has in...
in administering the sui juris church. The patriarchal curia is distinct from the diocesan or eparchal curia of the patriarch or major archbishop's diocese or eparchy.
The patriarchal curia consists of the permanent synod of the Church, the chancellor, assistant chancellor, and notaries, the patriarchal finance officer, the patriarchal liturgical commission and other patriarchal commissions, and the patriarchal tribunal. Up to three bishops may be elected specifically to serve in the patriarchal curia.
If anyone who want to study on this subject refer to the Patriarchal and Major Archiepiscopal Curia, the doctoral thesis: "Patriarchal and Major Archiepiscopal Curia in the Eastern Catholic Legislation based on CCEO Canons 114-125" by Dr. Francis Eluvathingal, published in Aug. 2009.
Roman Curia
The Holy SeeHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
retains an assembly called 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 assists the Pope
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...
in governing the Latin patriarchate and the entire Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Curia includes the Secretariat of State
Secretariat of State (Vatican)
The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the government of the Roman Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., and performs all the political and diplomatic functions of Vatican City and the Holy See...
, the Curial Congregations
Congregation (Roman Curia)
A congregation is a type of dicastery of the Roman Curia, the central administrative organism of the Catholic Church....
, the Pontifical Council
Pontifical Council
The Pontifical Councils are a group of several mid-sized agencies, each led by a Cardinal or archbishop as president, which are part of the larger organization called the Roman Curia. The Roman Curia is charged with helping the Pope in his governance and oversight of the Roman Catholic Church...
s, Pontifical Commission
Pontifical Commission
A Pontifical Commission is a committee of Catholic experts convened by the Pope for a specific purpose. Examples include:* Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State* Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei...
s, the tribunal
Tribunal
A tribunal in the general sense is any person or institution with the authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title....
s, and other offices.