Holy See shifts personnel management to Secretariat for Economy

By Vatican News

As the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium enters into force on Sunday, 5 June, the management of Holy See personnel is being transferred from the Secretariat of State to the Secretariat for the Economy.

Ahead of that change, Fr. Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy (SPE), wrote a letter to all heads of Vatican Dicasteries informing them of the establishment of a new Directorate for Human Resources.

Fr. Guerrero explained the duties and responsibilities of the new Directorate, and asked Dicasteries for advice and suggestions on how to improve the quality of employment for all Vatican employees.

Focus on professional skills

He highlighted first of all the importance of personnel planning and selection, saying the primary objective is to ensure that each Dicastery has employees with the required professional skills in an economically sustainable and equitable system.

Professionalism and increased mobility need to be given pride-of-place, he said, adding that the Holy See will also need to acquire skills by hiring employees who are aware of what it means to work for the Holy See.

Ongoing formation

Secondly, the new Directorate will seek to improve ongoing formation of existing employees, assisting those of the Holy See’s various offices to grow professionally along their career paths through training programs, while encouraging internal mobility and the acquisition of new professional skills.

Fr. Guerrero proposed to create a system of objective evaluation for each employee’s work, saying the SPE hopes to streamline procedures to verify the correct application of rules and regulations.

Merit-based pay rises

Another significant passage in the letter is devoted to salaries and incentives, an employment aspect which is new within the Holy See.

In order to increase employee motivation, the Holy See will consider implementing a merit-based system of remuneration—alongside fixed pay rises—to reward those who deserve it on the basis of considered evaluation.

Communion among Vatican employees

Fr. Guerrero then highlighted the importance of caring for the working environment within the Holy See.

The new Directorate will seek to foster communion and a sense of participation in the mission of the Holy See and the Church by improving internal communication, moments of encounter, and opportunities for shared service and spiritual growth outside of normal working hours.

Fr. Guerrero closed his letter to heads of Dicasteries by explaining that the process will take time and will move gradually, requiring the collaboration of all.

The letter concluded by noting several changes to operational aspects as of 5 June, when the new Constitution goes into effect.