2010-06-29 15:56:14

Vatican defends Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples


(June 29, 2010) The Vatican's congregation that oversees missionary work is an indispensable organization for the Church, a Vatican statement affirmed on Monday. The Vatican press office issued a note responding to certain media reports, above all in Italy, which questioned activities undertaken by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2001 to 2006, including the sale of a property. The prefect at that time was the current archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, an Italian. The Vatican statement clarified that the congregation, which is also known by its former name "Propaganda Fide," "has the task of directing and coordinating all over the world the work of evangelization and missionary cooperation." It first objective is "guiding and supporting the young Churches, situated in territories of recent or scarce evangelization, territories that in virtue of a long tradition, are entrusted to the dicastery in what refers to every aspect of ecclesial life." To this end the congregation manages numerous institutions for formation and university hostels in Rome. This as well as maintenance of dioceses and Church territories around the world requires enormous financial resources that are mainly raised through the congregation’s annual collection and income from its various holdings. The Vatican explained that this patrimony has developed over decades from numerous donations from benefactors of every origin, who have wanted to leave part of their goods to the service of the cause of evangelization.







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