History

With the Constitution Universi dominici gregis of 30 August 1622 Gregory XV confirmed the competence of the Congregation of the Inquisition to deal with the crime of solicitation ad turpia, a competence reaffirmed by Benedict XIV with the Constitution Sollicita ac provida of 9 July 1753, which he developed and wrote personally. The Pope exhorted the members of the Congregation of the Index to undertake a more attentive and impartial examination of works submitted to prevent complaints by their authors. He arranged to have the theologians joined by men renowned for their culture, to have more objective processes, and to hear from the accused or their representatives. The Pope tried to settle the question, never resolved, of the overlapping jurisdictions of the Holy Office and the Congregation of the Index concerning censorship. He determined that the latter should concern itself solely with works expressly condemned as dangerous, but only if they had not already undergone an examination by the Congregation of the Index. Toward the end of the eighteenth century the Congregation of the Inquisition was entrusted with some offenses that were not concerned, strictly speaking, with doctrinal matters. During the pontificate of Pius VI it was also given responsibility for everything having to do with Holy Orders, both dogmatic and disciplinary matters.

In the nineteenth century, Gregory XVI also entrusted the Inquisition with the causes of saints for a time, in matters touching on doctrine and in determining what constitutes martyrdom.

Pius X reorganized the Congregation, changing its name to the “Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office” (Apostolic Constitution Sapienti consilio, 29 June 1908).

Later, Benedict XV, suppressing the Sacred Congregation of the Index, assigned its duties again to the Holy Office, which at the same time was relieved of its responsibility for indulgences (Motu proprio Alloquentes, 25 March 1917).

In 1965, Paul VI undertook a new reform of the Congregation. The name was changed to the “Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,” and its methods used for doctrinal examination were updated: over the punitive tendency of condemnation, the positive disposition of correcting from the errors, together with protection, preservation and promotion of the faith, prevailed (Motu proprio Integrae servandae, 7 December 1965). On this occasion, the Index of Prohibited Books was also abrogated.

John Paul II, with the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus on 28 June 1988, reorganized the entire Roman Curia and the function, responsibilities and norms governing the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith were also further specified. Its competence is “to promote and defend the doctrine of the faith and its traditions in all of the Catholic world” (art. 48). Following that reform, the new Regulations For Doctrinal Examination was approved on 29 June 1997.

Subsequently, with the Apostolic Letter Fidem servare (11 February 2022) and the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium on the Roman Curia and its Service to the Church in the World (19 March 2022), Pope Francis modified the name and the internal structure of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In the matters that require it, the Dicastery also proceeds as a Tribunal: judging the offenses against the faith and the more serious ones both in behavior or in the celebration of the sacraments. With the Moto proprio Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela of April 30, 2001, John Paul II promulgated new procedural norms regarding some grave offenses of exclusive competence of the Congregation. Benedict XVI promulgated an updated version of these norms on 21 May 2010.

Subsequently, Pope Francis approved the relevant norms on 11 October 2021.

To guarantee a more rapid examination concerning the delicts reserved to the competence of the Congregation, with his rescript of 3 November 2014, Pope Francis instituted a special College, which the ordinary session of the Dicastery has adopted for greater efficiency.