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.

www.vatican.va

His Holiness Pope Francis


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.

The Roman Curia

Secretariat of State

Secretary of State: Cardinal Pietro Parolin

First Section: Section for General Affairs

Substitute: Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra
Assessor: Monsignor Luigi Roberto Cona

Second Section: Section for Relations with States

Secretary: Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher
Undersecretary: Monsignor Mirosłav Stanisłav Wachowski & Dr Francesca Di Giovanni

Third Section: Section for Diplomatic Staff of the Holy See

Secretary for Pontifical Representations: Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawlowski
Undersecretary: Monsignor Mauricio Rueda Beltz

Congregations

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

Prefect: Cardinal Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer SJ
Secretary: Archbishop Giacomo Morandi

Congregation for the Oriental Churches

Prefect: Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
Secretary: Archbishop Giorgio Demetrio Gallaro

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Prefect: To be appointed
Secretary: Archbishop Arthur Roche

Congregation for the Causes of Saints

Prefect: Cardinal Marcello Semeraro
Secretary: Archbishop Marcello Bartolucci

Congregation for Bishops

Prefect: Cardinal Marc Ouellet PSS
Secretary: Archbishop Ilson de Jesus Montanari

Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples

Prefect: Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
Secretary: Archbishop Protase Rugambwa

Congregation for the Clergy

Prefect: Cardinal Beniamino Stella
Secretary: Archbishop Joël Mercier
Secretary for Seminaries: Archbishop Jorge Carlos Patrón Wong

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life

Prefect: Cardinal João Bráz de Aviz CM
Secretary: Archbishop José Rodriguez Carballo OFM

Congregation for Catholic Education

Prefect: Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi
Secretary: Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani

Dicasteries

Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life

Prefect: Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell
Secretary: Rev Fr Alexandre Awi Mello

Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

Prefect: Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Secretary: Rev Bruno Marie Duffé

Dicastery for Communication

Prefect: Dr Paolo Ruffini
Secretary: Monsignor Lucio Adrián Ruiz
Director of the Press Office of the Holy See: Mr Matteo Bruni

Tribunals

Apostolic Penitentiary

Major Penitentiary: Cardinal Mauro Piacenza
Regent: H.E. Monsignor Krzysztof Józef Nykiel

Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature

Prefect: Cardinal Dominique Mamberti
Secretary: Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca

The Roman Rota

Dean: H.E. Monsignor Pio Vito Pinto

Pontifical Councils

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

President: Cardinal Kurt Koch
Secretary: Bishop Brian Farrell LC

Pontifical Council for the Legislative Texts

President: Archbishop Fillippo Iannone OCarm
Secretary: Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru

Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue

President: Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot MCCJ
Secretary: Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage

Pontifical Council for Culture

President: Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi
Delegate: Bishop Carlos Alberto de Pinho Moreira Azevedo
Secretary: Bishop Paul Tighe

Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization

President: Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella
Secretary: Archbishop José Octavio Ruiz Arenas

Synod of Bishops

Synod of Bishops

President: The Holy Father
Secretary General: Cardinal Mario Grech
Undersecretary: Bishop Luis Marín de San Martín, OSA & Sr Nathalie Becquart, Xavìere

Administrative Services

Apostolic Camera

Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church: Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell
Vice-Chamberlain: Archbishop Ilson de Jesus Montanari

Council for the Economy

Coordinator: Cardinal Reinhard Marx

Secretariat for the Economy

Prefect: Rev Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves SJ

Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See

President: Bishop Nunzio Galantino
Secretary: Monsignor Mauro Rivella

Other Institutes of the Roman Curia

Prefecture for the Papal Household

Prefect: Archbishop Georg Gänswein

Office for the Liturgical Celebration of the Supreme Pontiff

Master of Ceremonies: Monsignor Guido Marini

Institutes Connected with the Holy See

L'Osservatore Romano

Director/Editor: Professor Andrea Monda

Office of Papal Charities

Almoner of His Holiness: Cardinal Konrad Krajewski

Apostolic Nunciature

PO Box 3633, Manuka ACT 2603
2 Vancouver St, Red Hill ACT 2603
Ph: (02) 6295 3876 Fax: (02) 6295 3690
Email: nuntius@nunciature.com.au

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

Apostolic Nuncio Adolfo Tito Yllana

His Excellency Most Reverend Adolfo Tito Yllana
Titular Archbishop of Montecorvino

First Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature

Monsignor John Baptist Itaruma

Second Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature

Monsignor Giuseppe Quirighetti

Predecessors

I B Cerretti, 1914-1917
II B Cattaneo, 1917-1933
III P Bernardini, 1933-1935
IV J Panico, 1935-1948
V P Marella, 1948-1953
VI R Carboni, 1953-1959
VII M de Furstenberg, 1960-1962
VIII D Enrici, 1962-1969
IX G Paro, 1969-1978
Appointed first Apostolic Pro-Nuncio on 3/7/1973
X L Barbarito, 1978-1986
XI F Brambilla, 1986-1998
XII F Canalini, 1999-2004
XIII A De Paoli, 2005-2007
XIV G Lazzarotto, 2008-2012
XV P Gallagher, 2012-2014

Organisations Immediately Subject to the Holy See

Aid to the Church in Need

Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic charity under papal jurisdiction which offers poor and persecuted churches spiritual support, pastoral relief and material assistance. Aid to the Church in Need was founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, O.Praem. The Australian office was set up in 1963 by Fr Christopher Coenen, O.Praem.

National Director: Mr Bernard Toutounji
Email: bernard@aidtochurch.org

PO Box 335, Penrith NSW 2751
29 Doonmore St, Penrith NSW 2750
Ph: 1800 101 201 (Freecall)
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: Rev Brian J Lucas
Email: director@catholicmission.org.au

PO Box 1668, North Sydney 2059
19 Mackenzie St, Lavender Bay 2060
Ph: (02) 9919 7800
Ph: 1800 257 296
Fax: (02) 8904 0185
Email: admin@catholicmission.org.au
Web: www.catholicmission.org.au

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