Principles and Criteria for the Service of the Roman Curia. Dicastery for Evangelization art. Institutions of Justice art. Council for the Economy art. Prefecture of the Papal Household art. Institutions Associated with the Holy See art. Praedicate Evangelium cf. Mk ; Mt : this is the task that the Lord Jesus entrusted to his disciples.
The Church carries out this command above all when, in all that she says and does, she bears witness to the mercy that she herself has graciously received. Our Lord and Master left us an example of this when he washed the feet of his disciples and declared that we shall be blessed if we do likewise cf.
Jn In this way, the Church reflects the saving love of Christ, the true light of the world cf. The desire for reform was urgently felt in the sixteenth century, leading to the Apostolic Constitution Immensa Aeterni Dei of Sixtus V , and in the twentieth century, leading to the Apostolic Constitution Sapienti Consilio of Pius X In continuity with these two recent reforms, and with appreciation for the longstanding, generous and competent service to the Roman Pontiff and the universal Church provided by so many members of the Curia, this new Apostolic Constitution seeks to attune its present-day activity more effectively to the path of evangelization that the Church, especially in our time, has taken.
The reform of the Roman Curia demands attention to, and appreciation for, yet another aspect of the mystery of the Church. The faithful people, the College of Bishops, the Bishop of Rome: all listening to each other and all listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth cf. Jn , in order to know what he says to the Churches cf. The renewal of the Church, and consequently of the Roman Curia, cannot fail to reflect this basic reciprocity, so that the community of believers can approximate as much as possible the missionary communion experienced by the Apostles with the Lord during his earthly life cf.
Mk and, after Pentecost, by the first community of Jerusalem, guided by the Holy Spirit cf. Acts Outstanding among these gifts bestowed by the Spirit for the service of humanity is that of the Apostles, whom the Lord chose and established as a stable group coetus over whom he set Peter, chosen from among them, as their head.
