About the Vatican

The Catholic Church recognises the Pope, Bishop of Rome and the Apostle Peter's successor as the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity of the bishops and those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

The Roman Curia are appointed by the Pope to assist with the various ministries of the Church and the Apostolic Nuncio is the official representative of the Pope in Australia.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ,
Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy,
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of the City of the Vatican,
Servant of the Servants of God.



Pope Benedict XVI, formerly Joseph Alois Ratzinger, was born on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Germany. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1951. At the age of 35, he became a consultor at Vatican Council II, of the Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Joseph Frings. Ratzinger had a distinguished career as a university theologian before being made Archbishop of Munich; he was subsequently made a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in the consistory of June 27, 1977.

He was appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith by Pope John Paul II in 1981 and was made Cardinal Bishop of the Suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni on April 5, 1993. In 1998, he was made Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals; later, on November 30, 2002, he became the dean and Cardinal Bishop of the Suburbicarian Church of Ostia, La Candelaria.

He is the 265th and current pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He was elected on April 19, 2005, in the 2005 papal conclave over which he presided. He was formally inaugurated during the Papal Inauguration Mass on April 24, 2005.

The Roman Curia

Secretariat of State

Secretary of State: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone SDB
Substitute of the Secretary of State: Archbishop Fernando Filoni

First Section: Section for General Affairs

Substitute: Archbishop Fernando Filoni
Assessor: Monsignor Gabriele Caccia

Second Section: Section for Relations with States

Secretary: Archbishop Dominique Mamberti
Undersecretary: Monsignor Pietro Parolin

Congregations

Congregation for Bishops
Prefect: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re
Secretary: Archbishop Francesco Monterisi

Congregation for Catholic Education
Prefect: Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski
Secretary: Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Prefect: Cardinal Francis Arinze
Secretary: Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life
Prefect: Cardinal Franc Rode
Secretary: Archbishop Gianfranco Agostino Gardin OFMConv

Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Prefect: Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins
Secretary: Archbishop Michele Di Ruberto

Congregation for the Clergy
Prefect: Cardinal Claudio Hummes
Secretary: Archbishop Mauro Piacenza

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Secretary: Archbishop Angelo Amato
Prefect: Cardinal William Joseph Levada

Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples
Prefect: Cardinal Ivan Dias
Adjunct Secretary: Archbishop Henryk Hoser SAC
Secretary: Archbishop Robert Sarah

Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Prefect: Archbishop Leonardo Sandri
Secretary: Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio

Tribunals

Apostolic Penitentiary
Major Penitentiary: Cardinal James Francis Stafford
Regent: Bishop Gianfranco Girotti OFMConv

Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature
Prefect: Cardinal Agostino Vallini
Secretary: Bishop Frans Daneels OPraem

The Roman Rota
Dean: Archbishop Antoni Stankiewicz


Apostolic Nunciature

Established as Apostolic Delegation by His Holiness Pope Pius X by a Decree dated April 15, 1914

Established as Apostolic Nunciature by His Holiness Pope Paul VI by a Decree dated March 5, 1973

Apostolic Nuncio in Australia


His Excellency Most Reverend Giuseppe Lazzarotto
Titular Archbishop of Numana

Predecessors

  1. B Cerretti, 1914-1917
  2. B Cattaneo, 1917-1933
  3. P Bernardini, 1933-1935
  4. J Panico, 1935-1948
  5. P Marella, 1948-1953
  6. R Carboni, 1953-1959
  7. M de Furstenberg, 1960-1962
  8. D Enrici, 1962-1969
  9. G Paro, 1969-1978, Appointed first Apostolic Pro-Nuncio on 3-7-1973
  10. L Barbarito, 1978-1986
  11. IF. Brambilla, 1986-1998
  12. F Canalini, 1999-2004
  13. A De Paoli, 2005-2007

Officials

Secretary:
Fr Frank Leo
Residence: 2 Vancouver Street Red Hill 2603
PO Box 3633 Manuka ACT 2603
Ph: (02) 6295 3876 Fax: (02) 6295 3690
Email: nunsec@cyberone.com.au


Organisations Immediately Subject to the Holy See

Aid to the Church in Need

A Universal, Public Association of the Church, established by the Holy See governed according to Holy See Statutes. The aim is to promote prayer and giving in favour of activities and initiatives of the Church, particularly those that are pastoral, wherever it is persecuted or faces difficulties in carrying out its mission.

National Director: Mr Phillip Collignon

PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC 2148
Ph/Fax: (02) 9679 1929
Email: info@aidtochurch.org
Web: www.aidtochurch.org

Catholic Mission - The Work of the Pontifical Mission Societies

National Office of the Catholic Mission is established by and immediately subject to the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples to coordinate and administer the operation of the four Pontifical Mission Societies in Australia, namely the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St Peter Apostle, the Society of Missionary Childhood and the Pontifical Missionary Union.

National Director: Mr Martin Teulan
National Deputy Director / National Secretary: Mr Peter Gates

PO Box 1061, Chatswood 2057
Level 5 Tower Building, Chatswood Village
47 Neridah St, Chatswood 2067
Ph: (02) 9411 4611
Fax: (02) 9411 4622
Email: admin@catholicmission.org.au
Web: www.catholicmission.org.au

For Diocesan Directors and addresses, look in individual Dioceses under Ecclesiastical Organisations.