Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization

Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization is a dicastery of the Roman Curia established by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 to promote the New Evangelization in the Catholic Church. The council is responsible for spreading the Gospel to areas where the Christian faith is in decline, particularly in the Western world. The council works closely with other Vatican City institutions, such as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, to achieve its objectives. The council's establishment was influenced by the Second Vatican Council and the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

● History

The history of the council dates back to the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized the need for the Catholic Church to engage in a new evangelization effort. The council was formally established on June 28, 2010, by Pope Benedict XVI with the Apostolic Letter Ubicumque et Semper. The council's first president was Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and later confirmed by Pope Francis. The council has also been influenced by the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization, which was held in Rome in 2012 and attended by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, and other prominent Catholic leaders. The council has worked closely with other Vatican City institutions, such as the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, to promote the New Evangelization.

● Structure and Membership

The council is composed of a president, secretary, and undersecretary, as well as a number of members and consultors. The president of the council is Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who was appointed by Pope Francis in 2012. The council's membership includes Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Cardinal George Pell, and other prominent Catholic leaders. The council also has a number of consultors, including Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Father Timothy Radcliffe, and other experts in the field of evangelization. The council works closely with other Roman Curia institutions, such as the Congregation for the Clergy and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, to achieve its objectives. The council has also collaborated with the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue to promote interfaith dialogue and ecumenism.

● Mission and Objectives

The mission of the council is to promote the New Evangelization in the Catholic Church and to spread the Gospel to areas where the Christian faith is in decline. The council's objectives include the promotion of evangelization and catechesis, the support of Catholic education and Catholic media, and the encouragement of lay ministry and vocations. The council also works to promote the Year of Faith, which was declared by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, and the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which was declared by Pope Francis in 2015. The council has collaborated with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to promote the New Evangelization in North America. The council has also worked with the European Union and the Council of Europe to promote religious freedom and human rights.

● Activities and Initiatives

The council has undertaken a number of activities and initiatives to promote the New Evangelization. These include the organization of conferences and seminars on evangelization and catechesis, the production of educational materials and resources for Catholic education and Catholic media, and the support of lay ministry and vocations programs. The council has also collaborated with the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People and the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers to promote the New Evangelization among migrants and health care workers. The council has worked with the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic University of America to promote Catholic higher education and research on the New Evangelization. The council has also partnered with the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Charities USA to promote Catholic social teaching and charitable works.

● Relations with Other Pontifical Councils

The council works closely with other Pontifical Councils and Vatican City institutions to achieve its objectives. These include the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and the Pontifical Council for the Family. The council has also collaborated with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity to promote interfaith dialogue and ecumenism. The council has worked with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences to promote scientific research and social science on the New Evangelization. The council has also partnered with the Vatican Library and the Vatican Secret Archives to promote historical research and archival studies on the Catholic Church. The council's relations with other Pontifical Councils and Vatican City institutions are critical to its mission and objectives, and it continues to work closely with these institutions to promote the New Evangelization and spread the Gospel to all nations. Category:Vatican City