Francis creates new Vatican office for charity, justice, peace, migration

by Joshua J. McElwee | Aug. 31, 2016

VATICAN CITY Pope Francis is creating a new multi-departmental Vatican office to streamline the Catholic church's worldwide efforts on justice, peace, charity, healthcare and migration, and is putting management of the last issue directly under his control in a sign of his continuing concern for migrants.

The new office will be called the "Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development" and will combine the work of four pontifical councils, the Vatican announced Wednesday.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, the head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, will lead the new office and take the title of prefect. It will come into function on Jan. 1, 2017.

"In all her being and actions, the Church is called to promote the integral development of the human person in the light of the Gospel," Francis states in a letter accompanying the statutes for the new department. "This development takes place by attending to the inestimable goods of justice, peace, and the care of creation."

https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-creates-new-vatican-office-charity-justice-peace-migration