Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life
and the Societies of Apostolic Life

ON 8 JUNE AND 29 JUNE 2023 FOR THE FEASTS OF CORPUS DOMINI AND SAINTS PETER AND PAUL APOSTLES, OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED.

On 20 May 2023 Archbishop Carballo, Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, gave a conference on the topic of Mission. The event was held in the presence of Bishop Michele Fusco and was a moment of spiritual enrichment and formation for the participants.

“The Church is not an immobile and finite reality, it is a project, which at the breath of the Spirit and in openness to the signs of times and places, is transformed to become more credible and consistent, more meaningful and evangelical. In this context lies the prophetic value of Religious Life.” Bearers of this evangelical vocation, the Religious Confederation of Latin America (CLAR) was received in audience by the Prefect, Card. João Braz de Aviz, at the Dicastery on the morning of 17 May 2023. The purpose of the encounter was to articulate CLAR’s mission and vision on synodality and to update the Dicastery on the condition of religious life in Latin America and the Caribbean: “Today more than ever we are convinced that true reform comes from encountering Jesus, in echoing his Word, in learning his attitudes and criteria, in assimilating his style. This is well known by the Women of the Dawn, those who were able to transform their existence through their encounter with Jesus, those who, moved by love, began to walk.” To further the reflection, the booklet Con ellas: mujeres consagradas en el espíritu de sinodalidad was given to the Prefect as a gift. This text helps qualify all that consecrated women, starting with their identity, can bring to the synodal dynamic of the Church.

On Saturday, 13 May, at 5 p.m., the rite of blessing of Abbot D. Luca Fallica in the Cathedral Basilica of Montecassino, was presided over by His Eminence, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome. The concelebration was attended by many priests, abbots and bishops including His Excellency Most Rev. José Rodríguez Carballo Archbishop Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Undersecretary Most Rev. Fr. Pier Luigi Nava, SMM.

The Prefect of DICLSAL, Card. João Braz de Aviz, in response to the invitation of the Rev. Father Pro-Director of the St. Peter Favre Center for Formators for the Priesthood and Consecrated Life, of the Pontifical Gregorian University, on 9 May 2023 delivered a talk titled: “The initial and ongoing formation of consecrated persons today: Challenges and perspectives according to DICLSAL.” After discussing the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata, the Cardinal Prefect recalled that in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, of the Second Vatican Council, the Church speaks of religious as members of the People of God (cf. n. 44 § 3), stressing that this state of life constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels is solidly related to the life and holiness of the Church (cf. idem § 4). In addition, the Cardinal Prefect recalled that the Decree. Perfectae Caritatis in turn deals with the life and discipline of institutes according to the needs of present times (cf. PC 1). In this sense, among the general principles proposed for the update of religious life is a continuous return to the sources of Christian life and the primitive and original inspiration of the Institutes as well as adaptation to the new circumstances of the times. At the conclusion, the Cardinal Prefect spoke of the depth and richness of guidance represented by Pope Francis’ Magisterium on Consecrated Life, particularly the Apostolic Letter to all Consecrated Persons on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life in which the Holy Father wanted first of all to re-propose to the whole Church the beauty and preciousness of this peculiar form of sequela Christi, represented by all those who have decided to leave everything to imitate Christ.