Q. 1. What is the "Roman Curia?"

A. 1. The Roman Curia is the administrative part of the Holy See (Vatican) and the central body through which the Roman Pontiff (Pope) conducts the business of the universal Catholic Church. It acts in his name and with his authority for the good and for the service of the particular Churches and provides the necessary central organization for the correct functioning of the Church and the achievement of its goals.

"In exercising supreme, full, and immediate power in the universal Church, the Roman pontiff makes use of the departments of the Roman Curia which, therefore, perform their duties in his name and with his authority for the good of the churches and in the service of the sacred pastors." [Decree concerning the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, Christus Dominus.]

The structure and organization of responsibilities within the Curia is at present regulated by the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus issued by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988, which Pope Francis has decided to revise.

Within the Roman Curia, you will find:

The secretariats

• Secretariat of State
• Secretariat for the Economy
• Secretariat for Communications

The congregations

• The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
• The Congregation for the Oriental Churches
• The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
• The Congregation for the Causes of Saints
• The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
• The Congregation for the Clergy
• The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
• The Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study)
• The Congregation for Bishops

The Tribunals

• The Apostolic Penitentiary
• The Tribunal of the Rota Romana
• The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

The Pontifical Councils

• The Pontifical Council for the Laity
• The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
• The Pontifical Council for the Family
• The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
• The Pontifical Council Cor Unum
• The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants
• The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers
• The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
• The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
• The Pontifical Council for Culture
• The Pontifical Council for Social Communications
• The Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization

The Synod of Bishops

The offices

• The Apostolic Camera
• The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See
• The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See

The Pontifical commissions

• The Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church
• The Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"
• The Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology
• The Pontifical Biblical Commission
• The International Theological Commission
• Interdicasterial Commissions
• The Pontifical Commission for Latin America
• The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

The Swiss Guard

The Labour Office of the Apostolic See

The pontifical academies

• The Pontifical Academy Cultorum Martyrum
• The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
• The Pontifical Academy for Life
• The Pontifical Academy of Sciences
• The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences