The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development on February 6, 2019, announced the release of the website www.humandevelopment.va, which presents news, information, publications, and useful tools related to the Dicastery’s activities and mission.
The Dicastery was created on August 17, 2016, from the union of four Pontifical Councils, according to the wishes that our Holy Father Pope Francis expressed in his Apostolic Letter, under the form of a Motu Proprio, Humanam Progressionem. Two videos aimed to introduce and spread the Church’s understanding of Integral Human Development have been produced.
The Dicastery promotes the integral development of the person in light of the Gospel and in line with the Social Doctrine of the Church. It dedicates particular attention to taking care of the goods of justice, peace and the safeguarding of Creation, as well as issues regarding disarmament, human rights, human mobility, health, charitable works, expressing the concern and attention of the Pope towards a humanity that suffers, among whom are the needy, the ill and the excluded. In addition, the Dicastery follows issues regarding the necessities of those who are forced to abandon their own countries or those who are without one, the marginalized, the victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters, prisoners, the unemployed and victims of contemporary forms of slavery and torture and other people whose dignity is at risk.
The Dicastery promotes its activities by means of a network of interactions that involve local Churches, Episcopal Conferences, the other organs of the Roman Curia, the international organizations (both Catholic and non-Catholic), the relations with governments and supranational organizations.
The entire Dicastery is divided into four operational Areas or Sections: Management; Research and Study; Pastoral Works and Diakonia; Migrants and Refugees. All the areas cooperate towards reaching the goals of the Dicastery in the fields of the Margins of Humanity, Safeguarding Creation, Faith and Integral Development.
Each area is headed by its respective Under-Secretary.
