![]() Coat of arms of the Holy See | |
![]() Palazzo delle Congregazioni in Piazza Pio XII (in front of St. Peter's Square) is the workplace for most congregations of the Roman Curia | |
Dicastery overview | |
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Formed | January 22, 1588 |
Preceding agencies |
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Type | Dicastery |
Headquarters | Palazzo delle Congregazioni, Piazza Pio XII, Rome, Italy |
Dicastery executives |
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Website | http://www.congregazionevescovi.va |
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Roman Curia |
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The Dicastery for Bishops, formerly named Congregation for Bishops (Latin: Congregatio pro Episcopis), is the department of the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church that oversees the selection of most new bishops. Its proposals require papal approval to take effect, but are usually followed. The Dicastery also schedules the visits at five-year intervals ("ad limina") that bishops are required to make to Rome, when they meet with the pope and various departments of the Curia. It also manages the formation of new dioceses. It is one of the more influential Dicasteries, since it strongly influences the human resources policy of the church.
The jurisdiction of the Dicastery does not extend to mission territories, under the Dicastery for Evangelization, or areas managed by the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches (which has responsibility for all Eastern Catholics, and for Latin Catholics in the Middle East and Greece.)[1] Where appointment of bishops and changes in diocesan boundaries require consultation with civil governments, the Secretariat of State has primary responsibility, but must consult the Dicastery for Bishops.[2]
The Dicastery for Bishops has jurisdiction over the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and the dicastery's prefect also serves as the commission's president. [3]