That the educational and school world be permeated with the spirit of the Gospel. This is the mission of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, which, as stated in the Apostolic Constitution  Praedicate Evangelium , “works for the development of human values ​​in people within the horizon of Christian anthropology, contributing to the full realization of the following of Jesus Christ.” Its responsibilities, therefore, revolve around two areas, a crucial pairing: culture and education. The Dicastery is made up of the Section for Culture, dedicated, among other things, “to pastoral animation and the enhancement of cultural heritage,” and the Section for Education, “which develops the fundamental principles of education with regard to schools, Catholic and ecclesiastical higher institutes of study and research, and is competent for hierarchical appeals in such matters.” The Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education is Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça. The secretaries are Monsignor Paul Desmond Tighe and Monsignor Carlo Maria Polvani.

Historical notes

The Dicastery for Culture and Education merged the former Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for Culture. The origins of the Congregation for Catholic Education are linked to the Middle Ages. With the Constitution  Immensa , Sixtus V established the  Congregatio pro universitate studii romani in 1588  to oversee studies at the University of Rome and other distinguished universities. Leo XII, with the 1824 Constitution  Quod divina sapientia , created the  Congregatio studiorum  for the schools of the Papal States. The origin of the Pontifical Council for Culture dates back to the Second Vatican Council, which, among its many emphases, highlighted a timeless relevance: the fundamental importance of culture for the full development of humankind.

Culture

The Cultural Section promotes and supports relations between the Holy See and the world of culture, engaging with the many emerging realities and fostering intercultural dialogue as an essential instrument for encounter, interaction, and enrichment. This allows those working in the arts, literature, sciences, technology, and sports to recognize themselves and, at the same time, feel recognized by the Church as servants in the sincere search for truth, goodness, and beauty. The Cultural Section also supports the processes of safeguarding, preserving, and ensuring the public enjoyment of the historical, artistic, and cultural heritage of ecclesial communities, as well as the promotion and protection of local cultures. It coordinates the activities of the Pontifical Academies, which include some of the leading international figures in theology and the humanities, chosen from among both believers and non-believers.

Education

The Education Section promotes the application of the fundamental principles of Catholic education, the Catholic identity of schools and institutes of higher learning, and the teaching of the Catholic religion in schools of all levels and grades, safeguarding the integrity of the Catholic faith in doctrinal instruction. It also supports and regulates the establishment and collaboration of Catholic and ecclesiastical schools and institutes of higher learning and their associations, for the further study—in harmony with Christian truth—of sacred disciplines, humanistic studies, and scientific research. The Education Section is also responsible for the academic formation of clergy, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and lay people preparing for service in the Church. Likewise, it is responsible for the procedures necessary for the recognition by States of academic degrees awarded in the name of the Holy See and for issuing the  nulla osta  (approval) required by professors to teach theological disciplines.

Between spaces and projects

In both the cultural and educational fields, the Dicastery follows the action programs undertaken by relevant national and supranational institutions, through participation in international organizations and events and the organization of specialized conferences. The Dicastery’s mission also includes ensuring the Holy See’s presence at international exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale, through dedicated pavilions and spaces. The Dicastery is also entrusted with promoting various projects.

The  Global Compact on Education  , in particular, is Pope Francis’s invitation to an alliance among all those working in the fields of education and culture, with the aim of changing the world through education, art, entertainment, sports, and so on, with a clear goal: to educate everyone, especially the younger generations, in universal fraternity. Culture and education are, therefore, the two eyes of this Dicastery. And they are also two fundamental lenses through which the Church views the world.