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The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei), previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition (wherefrom arose the names Roman Inquisition or Holy Inquisition popularly used in reference to the 16th century tribunals against witchcraft and heresy), and after 1904 called the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. Among the most active of the congregations, it oversees Catholic Church doctrine. Its offices are housed at the Palace of the Holy Office at the Vatican.

History[link]

Galileo before the Holy Office, a 19th century painting by Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury

On July 21, 1542, Pope Paul III proclaimed the Licet ab initio Apostolic Constitution, establishing the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, staffed by cardinals and other officials whose task it was "to maintain and defend the integrity of the faith and to examine and proscribe errors and false doctrines". It served as the final court of appeal in trials of heresy and served as an important part of the Counter-Reformation.

This body was renamed the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office in 1904 by Pope Saint Pius X.

The Congregation's name was changed to Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on December 7, 1965, at the end of the Second Vatican Council. In 1988, with the promulgation of the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia called Pastor Bonus, "Sacred" was dropped from the names of Curial Congregations, and so the dicastery adopted its current name, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Timeline[link]

Role[link]

According to Article 48 of the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, Pastor Bonus, promulgated by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 1988: "The proper duty of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is to promote and safeguard the doctrine on faith and morals in the whole Catholic world; so it has competence in things that touch this matter in any way."^[2]

The Palace of the Holy Office, seat of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

This includes investigations into what are known as "delicta graviora"; i.e., the crimes which the Catholic Church considers as being the most serious of all: crimes against the Eucharist and against the sanctity of the Sacrament of Penance, and crimes against the sixth Commandment ("thou shall not commit adultery") committed by a cleric against a person under the age of eighteen. These crimes, in a "motu proprio" of 2001, "Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela", come under the competency of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In effect, it is the "promoter of justice" who deals with, among other things, the question of priests accused of paedophilia, which are periodically highlighted in the mass media.^[4][3]

Within the CDF are the International Theological Commission, the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. The Prefect of the CDF is ex officio president of these commissions.

Organization[link]

Until 1968, the Pope himself held the title of prefect but never exercised this office. Instead, he appointed one of the cardinals to preside over the meetings, first as Secretary, then as Pro-Prefect.

Since 1968, the Cardinal head of the dicastery has borne the title of Prefect, without further qualification. Therefore, from 1968 onwards, the title of Secretary refers to the second highest ranking officer of the Congregation. There are usually ten other cardinals on the Congregation, as well as a prelate and two assistants.

The work of the Congregation is divided into four sections: the doctrinal, disciplinary, matrimonial, and clerical office. The Congregation holds biennial plenary assemblies, and is occasionally obligated to censure theologians whose writings and teachings are contrary to Church doctrine (e.g., Hans Küng, Charles Curran, and Leonardo Boff).

Members (2009):

• Cardinal Prefect: Cardinal William Levada
• Secretary: His Excellency, Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, S.J.
• Undersecretary: Monsignor Damiano Marzotto Caotorta
• Promoter of Justice: Monsignor Charles J. Scicluna (his office, per the direction of Pope Benedict XVI that the Congregation handle such matters, is ultimately responsible for handling the resolution of complaints of sexual abuse of minors by church personnel)
• 25 members: Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops
• 28 Consultors
• Staff of 33

On 6 May 2006 Cardinals Antonio Cañizares Llovera and Jean-Pierre Ricard were named members of the Congregation.

Recent opinions and publications[link]

• Dominus Iesus (Declaration on the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church; with comments from Congregation officials; August 6, 2000; one of the Congregation's most controversial and debated documents)^[5]
• Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons (2002)^[6]
• ^[7] (24 November 2002), arguably the basis for the comments by Cardinal George Pell and those by Archbishop Barry Hickey in June 2007 in Australia to Catholic politicians on their votes on therapeutic cloning legislation.
• In an April 2007 address to chaplains, Archbishop Amato denounced same-sex marriage and abortion and criticized the Italian media's coverage of them, saying that they are evils "that remain almost invisible" due to media presentation of them as "expression of human progress."^[8]
• On September 28, 2007, Gaston Hebert, the then apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Little Rock stated that (per the July 11 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) 6 Arkansas nuns were excommunicated for heresy (the first in the diocese's 165-year history). They refused to recant the doctrines of the Community of the Lady of All Nations (Army of Mary). The 6 nuns are members of the Good Shepherd Monastery of Our Lady of Charity and Refuge in Hot Springs. Sister Mary Theresa Dionne, 82, one of 6, said they will still live at the convent property, which they own. The sect believe that its 86-year-old founder, Marie Paule Giguere, is the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary.^[9]
• On April 5, 2008, as a result of "grave reservations" by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith about the Mormon practice of posthumous rebaptism, Catholic dioceses throughout the world were directed not to give information in parish registers to the Mormons' Genealogical Society of Utah for microfilming or digitizing.^[10]
• Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization (with press conference transcript; December 3, 2007)
• Responses to Certain Questions of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Concerning Artificial Nutrition and Hydration (with commentary; August 1, 2007)
• Note on the banalization of sexuality, Regarding certain interpretations of "Light of the World" (December 22, 2010)
• Circular Letter to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences regarding the association Opus Angelorum (October 2, 2010)
• Dignitas Personae (on bioethical questions, with summary and press conference transcript; September 8, 2008)
• Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church (June 29, 2007)
• Notification on the works of the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino, S.J. (with an explanatory note; November 26, 2006)
• Notification regarding the book "Jesus Symbol of God" of the Reverend Father Roger Haight, S.J.
• Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the collaboration of men and women in the Church and in the world (May 31, 2004)
• Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding the participation of Catholics in political life (with two commentaries from Their Eminences, Cardinals Joachim Meisner and Giacomo Biffi; November 24, 2002)
• Note on the Force of the Doctrinal Decrees Concerning the Thought and Work of the Reverend Father Antonio Rosmini Serbati (July 1, 2001)
• Notification regarding certain writings of the Reverend Father Marciano Vidal, C.Ss.R.

(with comments; February 22, 2001)

• Notification on the book "Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism" by the Reverend Father Jacques Dupuis, S.J. (with commentary; January 24, 2001)
• Notification concerning some writings of Professor Dr. Reinhard Messner (November 30, 2000)
• Ardens felicitatis (instructions on prayers for healing; September 14, 2000)
• Note on the expression "sister churches" (June 30, 2000)
• Documents regarding "The Message of Fatima" (June 26, 2000)
• Notification regarding Sister Jeannine Gramick, SSND, and the Reverend Father Robert Nugent, SDS
• Considerations on The Primacy of the Successor of Peter in the mystery of the Church (October 31, 1998)
• Formula to be used for the profession of faith and for the oath of fidelity to assume an office to be exercised in the name of the Church with the Illustrative doctrinal Note of the conclusive formula of "Professio fidei" (June 29, 1998)
• Notification concerning the writings of the Reverend Father Anthony De Mello, S.J. (jUNE 24, 1998)
• Notification concerning the Text "Mary and Human Liberation" by the Reverend Father Tissa Balasuriya, O.M.I. (January 2, 1997)
• Notification on the writings and activities of Mrs. Vassula Ryden (October 6, 1995)
• Responses to questions proposed concerning uterine isolation and related matters (July 31, 1993)
• Some considerations concerning the response to legislative proposals on the non-discrimination of homosexual persons (July 23, 1992)
• Decree on the doctrine and customs of the Association Opus Angelorum (June 6, 1992)
• Communionis notio (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some aspects of the Church understood as Communion; May 28, 1992)
• Instruction on some aspects of the use of the instruments of social communication in promoting the doctrine of the faith- The Second Vatican Council (March 30, 1992)
• Note on the book "The Sexual Creators, An Ethical proposal for Concerned Christians", (University Press of America, Lanham-New York-London 1986), by the Reverend Father André Guindon, O.M.I. (January 31, 1992)
• Donum veritatis (Instruction on the ecclesial vocation of the theologian; May 24, 1990)
• Orationis formas (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some aspects of Christian meditation; October 15, 1989)
• Note regarding "The moral rule of "Humanae vitae" (Pope Paul VI's encyclical, On the Regulation and Control of Human Birth) and the pastoral duty" (February 16, 1989)
• Observation of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) II's "Salvation and the Church" (November 18, 1988)
• Formula to be used for the profession of faith and for the oath of fidelity to assume an office to be exercised in the name of the Church (July 1, 1988)
• Donum vitae (Instruction on respect for life in its origin and on the dignity of procreation; February 22, 1987)
• Homosexualitatis problema (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons; October 1, 1986)
• Notification on the book "Pleidooi voor mensen in de Kerk" (Nelissen, Baarn 1985) by the Reverend Father Professor Edward Schillebeeckx, O.P. (September 15, 1986)
• Letter to György Bulányi on certain writings attributed to him (September 1, 1986)
• Letter regarding the suspension of the Reverend Father Professor Charles Curran from the teaching of theology (July 25, 1986)
• Libertatis conscientia (Instruction on human freedom and liberation; March 22, 1986)
• Notification on the Book "Church: Charism and Power. Essay on militant Ecclesiology" by the Reverend Father Leonardo Boff, O.F.M. (March 11, 1985)

Heads of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith[link]

Grand Inquisitors[link]

When the Supreme Sacred Congregation for the Roman and Universal Inquisition was first established in 1542, it was led by an officer who bore the title of Grand Inquisitor (in Latin the title was Inquisitor Generalis, literally "Inquisitor General"; in several vernacular languages, however, this title was translated as "Grand Inquisitor", such as in Spanish - "Inquisidor mayor" -, In Portuguese - "Inquisidor-mor", in French "Grand inquisiteur" and in English - "Grand inquisitor"). Grand Inquisitors led the Congregation for the Inquisition until 1602, when the Pope himself assumed formal presidency of the Congregation.

• Gian Pietro Carafa 1542-1555 (elected as Pope Paul IV)
• Antonio Michele Ghisleri 1558-1566 (elected as Pope Pius V)
• Scipione Rebiba 1573-1577
• Giacomo Savelli 1577-1586
• Giulio Antonio Santori 1586-1602

Secretaries[link]

Unless stated otherwise, the secretaryship ended with the relevant man's death. From 1602 until 1965, the leading prelate of the Congregation was the Secretary, as the Pope himself presided over the congregation as its Prefect. However, the daily administration of the affairs of the Congregation was discharged by the Secretary, aided by the Accessor. Thus, unlike other Congregations, that were led by a Prefect aided by a Secretary, the Holy Office was led by a Secretary, aided by an Accessor, with the Pope as Prefect.

• Camillo Borghese 1602-1605 (elected as Pope Paul V)
• Pompeio Arrigoni 1605-1616
• Giovanni Garzia Millini 1616-1629
• Antonio Marcello Barberini 1629-1633 (Left office; died in 1646. Succeeded by his nephew)
• Francesco Barberini 1633-1679
• Cesare Facchinetti 1679-1683
• Alderano Cybo 1683-1700
• Galeazzo Marescotti 1700-1716
• Fabrizio Spada 1716-1717
• Nicolò Acciaioli 1717-1719
• Francesco del Giudice 1719-1725
• Fabrizio Paolucci 1725-1726
• Pietro Ottoboni 1726-1740
• Tommaso Ruffo 1740-1753
• Neri Maria Corsini 1753-1770
• Giovanni Francesco Stoppani 1770-1774
• Luigi Maria Torregiani 1775-1777
• Carlo Rezzonico 1777-1799
• Leonardo Antonelli 1800-1811
• Giulio Maria della Somaglia 1814-1830
• Bartolomeo Pacca 1830-1844
• Vincenzo Macchi 1844-1860
• Costantino Patrizi Naro 1860-1876
• Prospero Caterini 1876-1881
• Antonio Maria Panebianco 1882-1883
• Luigi Bilio, C.R.S.P. (1883–1884)
• Raffaele Monaco La Valletta (1884–1896)
• Lucido Parocchi (1896–1903)
• Serafino Vannutelli (1903–1908) (served until death in 1915 as Regent of Apostolic Penitentiary)
• Mariano Rampolla (1908–1913)
• Domenico Ferrata (January 3, 1914 - October 10, 1914)
• Rafael Merry del Val (October 14, 1914 - February 26, 1930)
• Donato Sbarretti (July 4, 1930-April 1, 1939)
• Francesco Marchetti-Selvaggiani (April 30, 1939-January 13, 1951)
• Giuseppe Pizzardo (February 16, 1951-October 12, 1959)
• Alfredo Ottaviani (November 7, 1959– December 7, 1965, when he was made Pro-Prefect)

Pro-Prefect[link]

On December 7, 1965, along with changing the name of the dicastery, Pope Paul VI changed the title of the head of the Congregation from Secretary to Pro-Prefect, the Roman Pontiff retaining the role of Prefect. Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, who was then Secretary, having been appointed to lead the Holy Office in 1959, continued leading the newly reorganized dicastery without any break in continuity since that date. In spite of that, a few months later, on February 8, 1966, Cardinal Ottaviani was formally confirmed as Pro-Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

• Alfredo Ottaviani (December 7, 1965-January 6, 1968)

Prefects[link]

Since the appointment of Cardinal Franjo Šeper in 1968, the head of the dicastery has been titled Prefect. The Pope no longer holds the office of Prefect of the CDF himself. Although Cardinal Ottaviani had served as Pro-Prefect, upon his retirement he was declared Prefect emeritus of the Congregation, and not Pro-Prefect emeritus. The following Prelates have presided over the Congregation as Prefects since then:

• Franjo Šeper (January 8, 1968 - November 25, 1981) (his retirement)
• Joseph Ratzinger (November 25, 1981 - April 2, 2005) (Pope John Paul II's death) - elected Pope Benedict XVI
• William Levada (May 13, 2005–Present)

Modern Secretaries of the CDF[link]

With the reorganization of the Holy Office as the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in December 1965, the head of the Congregation was no longer titled Secretary. The dicastery's second-in-command, until then titled accessor, was then given the title of Secretary, as was already the case with the other Roman Congregations. The following Archbishops have served as the CDF's second-in-command with the title of Secretary:

• Archbishop Pietro Parente (7 December 1965 to 1967)
• Archbishop Paul-Pierre Philippe, O.P. (29 June 1967 to 6 March 1973)
• Archbishop Jean Jérôme Hamer, O.P. (14 June 1973 to 8 April 1984)
• Archbishop Alberto Bovone (5 April 1984 to 13 June 1995)
• Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B. (13 June 1995 to 10 December 2002)
• Archbishop Angelo Amato, S.D.B. (19 December 2002 - 9 July 2008)
• Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, S.J (9 July 2008–present)

See also[link]

• Index Librorum Prohibitorum
• Crimen sollicitationis
• Archive of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
• Jon Sobrino Spanish theologian disciplined by the Congregation in 2007
• Liberation theology
• Inquisition

References[link]

External links[link]

• Homepage on Holy See website
  • links to:
    • Doctrinal Documents
    • Disciplinary Documents
    • Documents on sacramental questions
    • The series of volumes "Documenti e Studi"

Coordinates: 41°54′04″N 12°27′22″E / 41.90111°N 12.45611°E / 41.90111; 12.45611

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since July 2011. It includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Tagged since September 2011. Its tone or style may not reflect the formal tone used on Wikipedia. Tagged since September 2011.

Maulana Tariq Jameel (Urdu: مولانا طارق جمیل) (born 1953) is an Islamic scholar from Pakistan.^[1] His native town is Tulambah near Mian Channu. His father was an agriculturist who belonged to the Muslim Rajputs community.^{[citation needed]}

Tariq Jameel was born and raised in Mian Channu. In his childhood he lived a relatively modest life but religion was not a major part of his life and his family in particular. It wasn't until he pursued his M.B.B.S. in Lahore that his focus shifted towards Islam. After completing his Higher Secondary School education (a.k.a. F.Sc in some regions of Pakistan) in pre-medical (equivalent to A 'levels') from Government College, Lahore, he took admission in King Edward Medical College in Lahore. He intended to do his M.B.B.S., but he soon switched to Islamic education. He then went on to receive Islamic education from Jamia Arabia, Raiwind (near Lahore), Pakistan where he studied Quran, Hadith, Sharia, Tasawwuf, logic and Fiqh.^{[citation needed]}

Transition towards Islam[link]

His proclivity towards Islam grew during hostel life in Lahore and can mainly be attributed to the group members of Tablighi Jamaat who he became friends with during his college life.^{[citation needed]}

Rise to prominence[link]

He has a simple style of elaborating the purpose of human life and its creation and often uses scientific examples to support his argument. He has delivered lectures to all types of communities in the society with the attendees being doctors, engineers, professors, businessmen, landlords, government officials, TV/film artists, ministers/politicians and sports celebrities.^{[citation needed]}

Islamic teachings[link]

Tariq Jameel’s lectures incorporate a wide range of issues of Islam and social concern. He especially emphasizes on self-purification, avoidance of violent ways, observance of Allah’s orders and to follow the Prophet [[Muhammad PBUH's sunnah. He is a staunch critic of moral degeneration, indecent practices and shamelessness.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

Maulana Tariq Jameel Latest Bayan

External links[link]

• Maulana Tariq Jameel Video Bayan
• Maulana Tariq Jameel (Also Molana Tariq Jamil) Urdu MP3 Islamic Lectures Bayans
• Latest Lectures of Maulana Tariq Jameel from in HQ MP3 Format
• A complete list of all of Maulana Tariq Jamils speeches. Over 1250 Lectures
• Tariq Jamil Web Site