Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis submitted his resignation as Pontifical Commissioner for the Heralds of the Gospel, but the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life asked him to wait. The response from the Dicastery has fueled speculation about whether Pope Leo XIV was consulted and approved the refusal. A recently published book details grievances that arose during the intervention, including blocked vocations and financial burdens. The situation is complicated by the possibility that Cardinal Damasceno may have also submitted his resignation directly to the Pope.
21 days ago
Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, aged 88, submitted his resignation as Pontifical Commissioner for the Heralds of the Gospel and associated societies Virgo Flos Carmeli and Regina Virginum on November 18, 2025, after eight years in the role.1
This move followed his belief that his mission had concluded, marking what appeared to be a natural retirement given his advanced age beyond typical retirement for high-ranking prelates.1
On November 21, 2025, the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life instructed the cardinal to "wait a few months" before departing his post.1
The response, issued by Prefect Sister Simona Brambilla, did not indicate consultation with Pope Leo XIV, raising questions about papal approval since commissioners are typically appointed and relieved directly by the Pope.1
Speculation arises that Cardinal Damasceno may have also submitted his resignation directly to Pope Leo XIV, potentially leading to conflicting decisions between the Dicastery and the Holy See.1
Such a scenario could result in rare institutional dissonance within the Vatican, highlighting possible procedural irregularities.1
The rejection occurs amid ongoing sensitivities surrounding the Heralds of the Gospel, following an Apostolic Visitation that began in 2017.1
A recently published book, "The Commissariat of the Heralds of the Gospel: A Chronology of Events 2017–2025," details grievances including blocked vocations, suspended ordinations, internal restrictions, financial burdens, and a climate of suspicion described by some as punitive without formal charges.1
The book also reveals civil lawsuits allegedly instigated during the visitation, all of which failed in court and were resolved in favor of the Heralds.1
This episode underscores a complex interplay of ecclesiastical oversight and legal defenses, complicating the commissioner's role at a delicate juncture.1
Assess Vatican’s authority over apostolic societies
The Vatican's authority over societies of apostolic life is rooted in the Church's hierarchical structure, ensuring these communities align with the universal mission of the Catholic Church while pursuing their apostolic goals. Societies of apostolic life, distinct from religious institutes due to the absence of public vows, are groups of faithful who live in community and dedicate themselves to apostolic works, striving for charity through their constitutions. This authority is exercised primarily by the Pope, through the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, encompassing approval, governance, discipline, and oversight to promote the evangelical counsels and apostolic activity. While local bishops play a collaborative role in pastoral matters, the Vatican's supreme jurisdiction prevents fragmentation and safeguards doctrinal fidelity, as emphasized in recent curial reforms. This assessment draws on canonical norms and papal documents to outline the scope, mechanisms, and limits of this authority.
Societies of apostolic life are defined in canon law as associations resembling institutes of consecrated life, where members—without religious vows—pursue the society's apostolic purpose, live in community as brothers or sisters, and seek perfection in charity by observing their constitutions. Some societies incorporate the evangelical counsels through other bonds specified in their rules, distinguishing them from secular institutes but aligning them closely with consecrated life. This framework subjects them to norms common to all institutes of consecrated life (cann. 578-597, 606), including governance, apostolate, and temporal goods, while respecting their unique nature.
The Vatican's authority stems from the Pope's primacy, enabling exemptions from local ordinary governance for the common good of the Church and apostolate. Canon 605 reserves the approval of new forms of consecrated life, including societies, exclusively to the Apostolic See, though bishops may discern and assist emerging groups with provisional statutes. This ensures that new societies are not established without ecclesial validation, preventing "harmful fragmentation" into small, unvetted groups. Diocesan bishops can erect societies of diocesan right, but their validity requires Vatican confirmation, underscoring the Holy See's final judgment. Such oversight promotes vitality and authenticity, as articulated in Vita Consecrata, where the Church examines foundations to discern genuine charisms.
The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life holds primary competence for erecting, approving, and suppressing these societies, as outlined in Praedicate Evangelium (2022), which supersedes earlier norms like Pastor Bonus (1988). It approves constitutions and amendments, judges the suitability of diocesan erections, and handles mergers, unions, or suppressions to avoid redundancy and ensure apostolic efficacy. For instance, the Dicastery erects or rescinds federations and unions of societies, fostering collaboration without diluting individual charisms.
New or experimental forms of consecrated life fall under its regulation, allowing innovation while maintaining fidelity to tradition. This authority extends to granting indults for transfers between societies or to/from institutes of consecrated life, such as permissions for members in perpetual commitments to depart, which require Apostolic See approval. In cases of dismissal appeals or imposed exclaustration, the Dicastery examines and decides, balancing individual rights with communal discipline. Historical precedents, like the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, illustrate this: it supervised traditionalist societies adhering to the extraordinary form, exercising Holy See authority until integrated into the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2019. These mechanisms ensure societies remain in "full ecclesial communion," preserving spiritual traditions under papal oversight.
The Dicastery's role in ordinary governance and discipline is comprehensive, dealing with member incorporation, formation, apostolate, and temporal goods administration. It promotes and regulates the evangelical counsels—poverty, chastity, and obedience—as lived in approved forms, extending to all Societies of Apostolic Life in the Latin Church. This includes specific directives for formation, ensuring apostolic action flows from union with God and Church communion. Members are subject to their moderators for internal life but also to bishops for public worship and souls' care, with Vatican norms defining these relations.
Extraordinary measures, such as governance interventions, fall to the Dicastery, reflecting the Pope's capacity to act for the universal Church's advantage. For example, in inter-institute collaborations for formation, canonical analogies apply, with the Dicastery overseeing philosophical and theological studies indirectly through coordination with education bodies. Papal interventions, like motu proprio documents, can appoint commissioners for specific administrations, bypassing usual regulations to protect Church assets or resolve crises, as seen in territorial or financial disputes. This authority maintains discipline, as in handling absences or transfers beyond moderators' terms. Overall, it fosters a "religious spirit" in apostolic works, urging bishops and superiors to consult mutually.
While the Vatican holds supreme authority, collaboration with diocesan bishops is essential, particularly in apostolate execution. Societies must follow bishops "with devoted submission" in soul care, worship, and works, yet remain faithful to their superiors' discipline. For incardinated members, constitutions or agreements define ties to the local bishop. Private associations, including some apostolic societies, enjoy autonomy but remain under ecclesiastical vigilance to avoid energy dissipation and align with the common good.
Controversies arise in balancing autonomy and oversight; for instance, exemptions under canon 591 allow papal subjection of societies to himself or another authority, potentially limiting bishoply power, but this is for "common advantage." Recent reforms in Praedicate Evangelium emphasize accompaniment over suppression, contrasting earlier, more rigid structures in Pastor Bonus. In doctrinal-sensitive cases, like traditionalist groups, authority shifts to bodies like the Doctrine of the Faith, highlighting adaptive papal primacy. Where sources diverge—e.g., Pastor Bonus's broader "everything concerning life and work" versus Praedicate Evangelium's enumerated competences—the 2022 text prevails for precision.
The Vatican's authority over societies of apostolic life is robust yet collaborative, centered on the Pope's primacy and delegated to the Dicastery to approve, govern, and discipline these communities for the Church's apostolic mission. This ensures charisms are authentic, formation robust, and activities unified, while respecting local pastoral needs. By reserving key decisions to the Holy See, the Church guards against fragmentation and promotes the evangelical counsels universally. For those involved in such societies, this structure offers stability and guidance, inviting deeper communion with the successor of Peter.