A Dicastery called “to build bridges, when so many are building walls, the walls of ideologies; to foster communion, when so many are promoting division; to allow itself to be involved in the dramas of our time, when so many prefer indifference.” This is how  Pope Francis recalled its mission  in his last audience with the Dicastery for Communication, on October 31, 2024.

Likewise,  Leo XIV , in his first audience with communications professionals after his election, invited them to “carry out a different kind of communication, one that does not seek consensus at all costs, does not resort to aggressive language, does not adopt the model of competition, and never separates the search for truth from the love with which we must humbly seek it.” Later, during a visit to the  Vatican Radio ‘s Santa Maria di Galeria broadcasting center  on June 19,  Pope Prevost  emphasized how, during his missionary work in Latin America and Africa, it was invaluable to be able to receive Vatican Radio’s shortwave transmissions—which reach places few other stations can—and reaffirmed the missionary value of communication. The Dicastery, headed by Prefect  Paolo Ruffini  and Secretary Monsignor  Lucio Ruiz , operates on these principles.

Historical notes

The Dicastery for Communication was established by Pope Francis with the Motu Proprio  L’attuale contesto comunicativo  of  June 27, 2015 , under the name of Secretariat for Communication. It was entrusted with the reorganization of the entire communications system of the Holy See, and all the entities involved in communications have gradually been brought under its umbrella: the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican Printing Office, the Photographic Service,  L’Osservatore Romano , the Vatican Publishing House, Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center, and the Vatican Internet Service.

The challenge is to bring together nine realities that until that moment were distinct —characterized by histories and traditions sometimes centuries old— within a unified editorial and administrative system, managed by a Dicastery that is an integral part of the Roman Curia.

• Vatican Typography:  The oldest, instituted by Pope Sixtus V on April 27, 1587.
• L’Osservatore Romano:  The daily newspaper of the Holy See, first published on July 1, 1861. It currently has weekly editions in the main languages.
• Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV):  The official publishing house, founded in 1926. Since 2005 it has held exclusive copyright rights to the Pope’s texts.
• Vatican Radio:  Inaugurated by Pius XI on February 12, 1931. With the reform, it has taken a multimedia turn evidenced by the  Vatican News portal  (active since 2017) and its presence on social networks.
• Holy See Press Office:  Created in 1939 for the dissemination of official news about the Pope and the Apostolic See; it became independent during the Second Vatican Council.
• Pontifical Council for Social Communications:  It evolved from a film commission created by Pius XII in 1948 to become the body responsible for key documents such as  Communio et Progressio  (1971).
• Vatican Television Center (CTV):  Founded in 1983 by John Paul II. Under the new Dicastery, its production is identified with the  Vatican Media brand .
• Photographic Service and Internet Service:  The former documents papal activities since 2006, while the latter was born on Christmas 1995 with the online publication of John Paul II’s message.

Skills

According to the Apostolic Constitution  Praedicate Evangelium , the Dicastery for Communication is responsible for unifying all communication realities of the Holy See so that the system responds coherently to the mission of the Church in the digital age.

To achieve this, it utilizes technological innovations and current and future production models. In addition to its operational functions, the Dicastery:

1. It delves into the theological and pastoral aspects  of communication, preventing it from being reduced to something merely technological.
2. It raises awareness among the faithful  about their duty to use communication tools for the pastoral mission and the progress of civilization, especially during the  World Day of Social Communications .
3. It collaborates with the Secretariat of State  and supports the other institutions of the Roman Curia, the offices linked to the Holy See and the Governorate of Vatican City State in their communication activities.

(Translation made while maintaining fidelity to the original text published in  Vatican News  )

1. State Secretariat
2. Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
3. Dicastery for Bishops
4. Dicastery for the Clergy
5. Dicastery for the Service of Charity
6. Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
7. Dicastery for the Causes of Saints
8. The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity
9. Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue
10. Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
11. Dicastery for Communication