motu proprio Archives

Pope institutes new ‘secular ministry’ of Catechist open to laymen and laywomen

May 11, 2021

Pope Francis on Tuesday instituted the “secular” ministry of the catechist, meant for lay men and women who feel called to help in the Catholic Church’s mission of spreading the Gospel.

By Inés San Martín

Pope updates Vatican judicial laws so cardinals, bishops can face trial

Apr 30, 2021

Updating the laws that govern the Vatican’s civil judicial system, Pope Francis stated that cardinals and bishops accused of a crime can now be tried in a Vatican court.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

New Vatican anti-corruption law prohibits employees from using tax havens

Apr 29, 2021

Pope Francis has signed a new anti-corruption law for the Vatican, which prohibits employees from using tax havens are investing in companies that go against Church teaching.

By Inés San Martín

Pope cuts salaries of Vatican cardinals, clergy to save lay jobs

Mar 24, 2021

In a bid to curb the Vatican’s financial deficit amid coronavirus losses and an impending pension crisis, Pope Francis has ordered several pay cuts targeting clergy and higher-ups, but which appear to leave regular lay employees unaffected.

By Elise Ann Allen

Vatican formalizes ability for women to be lectors, altar servers

Jan 11, 2021

Pope Francis has issued a new law formalizing the ability for women and girls to be lectors and altar servers at Mass, something which has long been the common practice in western countries such as the United States but had yet to be written into law.

By Elise Ann Allen

Vatican archive will no longer be ‘secret’ but apostolic

Oct 28, 2019

Pope Francis has issued a new norm changing the name of the Vatican’s “Secret” Archive on the basis that the term has been misinterpreted in modern linguistics and fails to communicate the purpose of the historical collection.

By Elise Harris

Thoughts on populism, liability and unfinished business on abuse norms

May 12, 2019

While we wait to assess the enforcement of Pope Francis’s new rules on reporting and investigating clerical sexual abuse, here are three thoughts about their possible implications.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Pope’s new anti-sex abuse vague on lay leaders, movements

May 10, 2019

Though a new set of norms from Pope Francis on the handling of abuse cases and cover-up has been hailed as an important step in the right direction, the Vatican’s oversight of lay movements is still unclear, a point reflected in the fact that when two of the Church’s leading experts were asked about it Tuesday, they gave slightly contrasting responses.

By Elise Harris