The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Armando Matteo, until now visiting Professor of Fundamental Theology at the Pontifical Urban University and editor of the Urbaniana University Journal, as adjunct under-secretary Adjunct of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The Reverend Armando Matteo was born in Catanzaro, Italy, on September 21, 1970.
He was ordained a priest on December 20, 1997, for the metropolitan archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace.
He holds a degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. After carrying out various ministries in his archdiocese, he served as National Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Italian Catholic University Federation (FUCI) from 2005 to 2011 and, in 2012, National Ecclesiastical Consultant of the Italian Association of Catholic Teachers (AIMC).
He is currently visiting professor of fundamental theology at the Pontifical Urban University, editor of the Urbaniana University Journal, and author of numerous publications in the field of theology.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is constituted by a College of Members (Cardinals and Bishops), at the head of which is the Prefect. The Prefect is assisted by the Secretary, the Undersecretary, and also the Promotor of Justice. The Congregation’s staff is composed of Officials who, under the coordination of the Heads of the respective Offices, attend to various questions to be followed on the basis of their competence and requirements of the Congregation. The Congregation comprises four Offices:
The Doctrinal Office takes care of the matters that relate to the promotion of the doctrine of the faith and morals.
The Discipline Office handles the offenses against the faith as well as the grave offenses committed against morals and in the celebration of the sacraments. It attends also to the examination of other problems connected with the discipline of the faith.
The Marriage Office deals with what concerns the privilegium fidei. It involves itself in the instances of the dissolution of the marriage in favorem fidei and of other aspects of the matrimonial bond connected to the validity of the sacrament.
The Office of the Fourth Section deals with the previous areas of competence of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, namely the relations with all the Institutes attached to the celebration of the Roman Liturgy according to the usus antiquior (forma extraordinaria).
For its studies, the Congregation is assisted by a group of Consultors. The meetings of the Consultors generally are held weekly. The matters treated and the opinions of the Consultors, therefore, are discussed by the College of the Members of the Congregation for a deliberate vote. Their decisions are eventually subjected to the approval of the Supreme Pontiff, in a special Audience.
At the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith are constituted also the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the International Theological Commission, which, under the presidency of the Prefect, work according to the proper norms. The Congregation also has its Historical Archives, following their own Norms, to which only qualified scholars are given access.
