The New Reform of the Roman Curia: Hopes of Decentralization and a New Style of Papal Leadership

Abstract The Roman Curia is the body of institutions that assist the pope in his ministry as supreme pastor of the Catholic Church. The much-awaited reform of the curia, by means of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium , gave rise to strong hopes of decentralization and efficiency at the Vatican and the church. However, a close reading of this new norm does not immediately lead to concluding that any more ecclesiastical competences of the Holy See have been transferred to particular churches. Instead, the reform may be characterized as a decentralization of procedures, rather than competences, and a passionate call for the spiritual conversion and professionalism of Vatican officials. The reform is also in line with the type of synodal church that Pope Francis announced from the beginning of his pontificate, in which decisions are made after listening to everyone who is affected by that decision and by everyone who has something to contribute to the discussion. In this article, the author offers, for readers who are not experts in the law or doctrine of the Catholic Church, a discussion of the main changes brought by the reform, their significance, and possible consequences, as well as some recent changes introduced after the election of Pope Leo.