Vatican publishes official English translation of Praedicate Evangelium

By Vatican News

As of now, the official text of the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium on the Roman Curia and its service to the Church and the world is available in five language.

In addition to Italian, there are now translations in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic.

The French, German and Polish texts will be available in the coming weeks.

Its 250 paragraphs are the result of a long listening process that began with the General Congregations that preceded the 2013 Conclave and continued under Pope Francis’ guidance in the Council of Cardinals, with various contributions from Churches around the world.

The new Constitution was promulgated on 19 March, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, and went into effect on the Solemnity of Pentecost, 5 June.

At service of the Pope

The document, which replaces John Paul II's 1988 "Pastor Bonus", organizes a process of reforms of the Roman Curia that has already been almost entirely accomplished during these nine years of Pope Francis' pontificate.

The new Constitution gives a more missionary structure to the Curia so that it is increasingly at the service of the particular Churches and evangelization.

"The Roman Curia,” explains the text, “is not set between the Pope and the Bishops, but is at the service of both, according to the modalities proper to the nature of each.”

Another significant point concerns spirituality: the members of the Curia are also "missionary disciples."

Synodality is highlighted as a way of working for the Curia. It also specifies that everyone, including the lay faithful, can be appointed to roles of governance in the Roman Curia, by virtue of the vicarious power of the Successor of Peter.

Finally, the legal equality between the Secretariat of State, also known as the Papal Secretariat, the 16 Dicasteries and the various Bodies is emphasized.