Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

Dicasterium pro Doctrina Fidei

Bishop(s)

Victor Manuel Fernández, Cardinal, Prefect
John Joseph Kennedy, Secretary
Armando Matteo, Secretary
Charles Jude Scicluna, Adjunct Secretary
Philippe Curbelié, Under Secretary
Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J., Cardinal, Prefect Emeritus
Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Cardinal, Prefect Emeritus
Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P., Secretary Emeritus
Matteo Visioli, Secretary Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Dicastery
Elevated: 5 June 2022
Curial Office
Roman Curia
Description: To help the Roman Pontiff and the Bishops to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world by promoting and safeguarding the integrity of Catholic teaching on faith and morals. (Praedicate Evangelium, 69)
Section on the Vatican Website: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/index.htm
Official Web Site: http://www.doctrinafidei.va/
Archives: http://www.acdf.va/
Mailing Address: Palazzo del Dicast. per la Dottrina della Fede, 00120 Citta del Vaticano
Telephone: 06.69.89.59.11
Fax: 06.69.88.34.09

Historical Details

Congregation for Universal Inquisition
- Latin Name: Romanae et Universalis Inquisitionis
- Established: 21 July 1542
- Curial Office
- Roman Curia
Congregation of the Holy Office
- Latin Name: Sancti Officii
- Name Changed: 1908
- Curial Office
- Roman Curia
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
- Latin Name: pro Doctrina Fidei
- Name Changed: 7 December 1965
- Curial Office
- Roman Curia
- Description: promote and safeguard the doctrine on faith and morals in the whole Catholic world; so it has competence in things that touch this matter in any way. (Pastor Bonus, 48)
- Mailing Address: Piazza della stessa Congregaziione, 00120 Citta del Vaticano, Italy
- Telephone: 06.69.89.59.11
- Fax: 06.69.88.34.09

Past and Present Ordinaries

Alfredo Ottaviani † (9 Feb 1966 Appointed - 8 Jan 1968 Retired)
Franjo Šeper † (8 Jan 1968 Appointed - 25 Nov 1981 Retired)
Joseph Ratzinger † (25 Nov 1981 Appointed - 2 Apr 2005 Ceased, President of the International Theological Commission)
William Joseph Levada † (13 May 2005 Appointed - 2 Jul 2012 Retired)
Gerhard Ludwig Müller (2 Jul 2012 Appointed - 28 Feb 2013 Ceased)
Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J. (1 Jul 2017 Appointed - 1 Jul 2023 Retired)
Victor Manuel Fernández (1 Jul 2023 Appointed - 21 Apr 2025 Ceased)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Congregation for Universal Inquisition
21 July 1542	Established		Congregation for Universal Inquisition
Congregation of the Holy Office
1908	Name Changed	Congregation for Universal Inquisition	Congregation of the Holy Office
22 March 1917	Territory Added	Congregation of the Index (suppressed)	Congregation of the Holy Office
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
7 December 1965	Name Changed	Congregation of the Holy Office	Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
19 January 2019	Territory Added	Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei” (suppressed)	Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
5 June 2022	Elevated	Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith	Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone, S.D.B. (Secretary: 13 Jun 1995 to 10 Dec 2002)
Philippe Curbelié (Under Secretary: 6 Jul 2022)
Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P. (Adjunct Secretary: 21 Sep 2013 to 10 Jul 2023)
Victor Manuel Fernández (Prefect: 1 Jul 2023 to 21 Apr 2025)
John Joseph Kennedy (Official: 2003; Secretary: 23 Apr 2022 - )
Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J. (Secretary: 9 Jul 2008; Prefect: 1 Jul 2017 to 1 Jul 2023)
Armando Matteo (Official: 12 Apr 2021; Secretary: 23 Apr 2022 - )
Giacomo Morandi (Under Secretary: 27 Oct 2015; Secretary: 18 Jul 2017 to 10 Jan 2022)
Gerhard Ludwig Müller (Prefect: 2 Jul 2012 to 28 Feb 2013)
Charles Jude Scicluna (Adjunct Secretary: 13 Nov 2018 - )
Matteo Visioli (Under Secretary: 14 Sep 2017 to 5 Jun 2022)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Angelo Amato, S.D.B. † (Secretary: 19 Dec 2002 to 9 Jul 2008)
Leonardo Antonelli † (Secretary: 8 Nov 1800 to 23 Jan 1811)
Antonio (Marcello) Barberini (Sr.), O.F.M. Cap. † (Secretary: 1629 to 1633)
Luigi Maria (Tommaso Francesco) Bilio, B. † (Secretary: 25 Jan 1883 to 30 Jan 1884)
Camillo Borghese † (Secretary: 1602 to 1605)
Alberto Bovone † (Secretary: 8 Apr 1984 to 13 Jun 1995)
Nicola Canali † (Official: 27 Jun 1926 to 20 Mar 1939)
Prospero Caterini † (Secretary: 21 Dec 1876 to 28 Oct 1881)
Giulio Maria della Somaglia † (Secretary: 20 May 1814 to 2 Apr 1830)
Cesare Facchinetti † (Secretary: 1679 to 30 Jan 1683)
Domenico Ferrata † (Secretary: 2 Jan 1914 to 10 Oct 1914)
Jean Jérôme Hamer, O.P. † (Secretary: 14 Jun 1973 to 8 Apr 1984)
William Joseph Levada † (Prefect: 13 May 2005 to 2 Jul 2012)
Vincenzo Macchi † (Secretary: 25 Apr 1844 to 30 Sep 1860)
Alessandro Macioti † (Official: 11 Apr 1856 to 18 Jan 1859)
Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani † (Secretary: 30 Apr 1939 to 13 Jan 1951)
Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta † (Secretary: 14 Oct 1914 to 26 Feb 1930)
Raffaele Monaco La Valletta † (Secretary: 15 Feb 1884 to 14 Jul 1896)
Alfredo Ottaviani † (Pro-Secretary: 15 Jan 1953; Secretary: 7 Nov 1959; Pro-Prefect: 9 Feb 1966 to 8 Jan 1968)
Pietro Ottoboni † (Secretary: 14 Jun 1726 to 29 Feb 1740)
Bartolomeo Pacca † (Secretary: 5 Apr 1830 to 19 Apr 1844)
Antonio Maria (Niccolò) Panebianco, O.F.M. Conv. † (Secretary: 30 Mar 1882 to 25 Jan 1883)
Fabrizio Paolucci † (Secretary: 1725 to 12 Jun 1726)
Pietro Parente † (Official: 23 Oct 1959; Secretary: 7 Dec 1965 to 1967)
Lucido Maria Parocchi † (Secretary: 5 Aug 1896 to 15 Jan 1903)
Costantino Patrizi Naro † (Secretary: 10 Oct 1860 to 17 Dec 1876)
Pierre Charles (Paul) Philippe, O.P. † (Secretary: 29 Jun 1967 to 6 Mar 1973)
Giuseppe Pizzardo † (Secretary: 16 Feb 1951 to 12 Oct 1959)
Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro † (Secretary: 30 Dec 1908 to 16 Dec 1913)
Joseph Ratzinger † (Prefect: 25 Nov 1981 to 2 Apr 2005)
Donato Raffaele Sbarretti (Tazza) † (Secretary: 4 Jul 1930 to 1 Apr 1939)
Franjo Šeper † (Pro-Prefect: 8 Jan 1968; Prefect: 1 Mar 1968 to 25 Nov 1981)
Fabrizio Spada † (Secretary: 1716 to 15 Jun 1717)
Serafino Vannutelli † (Secretary: 16 Jan 1903 to 31 Dec 1908)

Source(s)

Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
- Annuario Pontificio, Year 2023, Page 1,157, and Page 1,163

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