Argentinian becomes head of the Vatican’s religious authority – kath.ch

The Vatican’s Doctrine Authority will be headed by Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez (60). Pope Francis appointed the rector of the Pontifical Catholic University in Argentina and the current head of the Diocese of La Plata on Saturday, to succeed Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, 79, who has held the position since 2017.

The so-called Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith decides doctrinal questions of the Catholic Church and is one of the most important authorities of the Roman Curia.

According to a statement from the Vatican, Fernandez will take over the post of Prefect of Religion after the summer recess in mid-September. He also became president of the Pontifical Bible Commission and the International Theological Commission, the two important advisory bodies.

Schönborn “very satisfied”

Cardinal Christophe Schönborn expressed his “extreme satisfaction” with the appointment of Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez as the new governor of the Vatican’s religious authority.

In an interview with Cathepress immediately after the papal decision became known, the Archbishop of Vienna said that he held the Archbishop of La Plata in high esteem, whom he knew from his time as Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. Archbishop Manuel is “a confidant of Pope Francis” and generally a “good sign”.

Professor of dogmatic theology

As a professor of dogmatic theology, Schönborn has been a member of the International Theological Commission since 1980, which is part of the Authority on Faith. As Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Schönborn has been and remains a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which has been renamed Doctor of the Doctrine of the Faith since last year’s Curia reform. (kna/cape)