Pope Francis Writes Letter upon Key Appointment of Archbishop Fernández as New Leader of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

Pope Francis wrote a letter to Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández who succeeds Cardinal Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith asking him to promote impetus for the transmission of the faith in the service of evangelization.
The Archbishop, who was appointed as Prefect of the DDF on Saturday, 1 July, will also serve as president of the Pontifical Biblical Commission
Argentinean Archbishop Fernández, until now Archbishop of La Plata (Argentina), will take up his duties in mid-September 2023.
Noting that the Dicastery in the past, at times pursued possible doctrinal errors and questionable methods, he underscored the fact that what he expects from the new leadership is something very different.

Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández was born on 18 July 1962 in Alcira Gigena, in the Province of Córdoba (Argentina). He was ordained a priest on August 15, 1986 for the diocese of Villa de la Concepción del Río Cuarto (Argentina).

Letter of the Holy Father to the new Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

To his Excellency Reverend

Bishop Victor Manuel Fernández

Vatican, 1 July 2023

Dear brother,

As the new Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, I commend you a class that I consider very valiant. It has the central purpose of guarding the sentence that leaves the faith to "give the reason for our hope, but not as enemies that signal and convict"[1].

The Dicastery that presided over it in other ages was inclined to use immoral methods. There were times whence more that promoting the theological knowledge was persecuted for possible doctrinal errors. What I expect from you is no doubt something very different.

You were dean of the Faculty of Theology of Buenos Aires, president of the Argentine Theological Society and president of the Committee of Culture and Culture of the Argentine Episcopate, in all cases voted by your peers, who in this way valued your theological charisma . As rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina you enjoyed a healthy integration of knowledge. On the other hand, he was the parish priest of “Santa Teresita” and until now archbishop of La Plata, whence he believed that the theological knowledge could be placed in dialogue with the life of the holy people of God.

Given that for the disciplinary questions – especially related to the abuses of minors – a specific Section has recently been created with very competent professionals, you'd rather like the Prefect dedicate your personal commitment in a more direct way to the main purpose of the Dicastery that is “ look at the faith”[2].

In order not to limit the meaning of this area, it is necessary to add that it is about “increasing intelligence and the transfer of faith to the service of evangelization, so that your light is a criterion for understanding the meaning of existence, above all the questions raised by the progress of science and the development of society”[3]. These questions, accepted in a renewed proclamation of the evangelical message, "become instruments of evangelization[4], therefore we allow us to enter into conversation with “the actual context in the one that holds unprecedented for the history of humanity”[5 ].
You know that the Church “needs to grow in its interpretation of the revealed word and in its understanding of the truth”[6] since this implies imposing a single way of expressing it. Because "the distinct lines of philosophical, theological and pastoral thinking, if they should be harmonized by spirit, respect and love, can also grow in church"[7]. This harmonious growth will preserve Christian doctrine more effectively than any control mechanism.

It is good that you have expressed that the Church “encourages charism of the theologians and their effort for theological investigation” with such that “they are not satisfied with a writing theology”[8], with “a logic and hard that seeks dominate it todo”[9]. You will always be sure that reality is superior to the idea. In this sense, we need to pay attention to a fundamental criterion: to consider "inadequate any theological concept that in the last term questions the omnipotence of God and, in particular, on his mercy" [10]. We have a thought that appears to convincingly present a God who loves, who forgives, who saves, who liberates, who promotes people and summons them to fraternal service.

This occurs if "the announcement is concentrated in the essential, which is the most beautiful, the most great, the most attractive and at the same time the most necessary" [11]. Well know that there is a harmonious order between the notes of our menu, whence the greatest danger occurs when the secondary questions end by enclosing the central ones.

In the horizon of this demand, you also imply a special care to verify that the documents of your own Dicastery and of them hold an adequate theological sustenance, they are consistent with the rich humus of the perennial teaching of the Church and eventually acojan the Magisterio recent.

May the Holy Virgin protects you and takes care of you in this new mission. Please don't forget to pray for me.

Fraternally,

FRANCIS

__________________

[1] Short. ap. Evangelii gaudium (24 November 2013), 271.

[2] Motu proprio Fidem servare (February 11, 2022), introducción.

[3] Ibid., 2.

[4] Short. ap. Evangelii gaudium (24 November 2013), 132.

[5] Charter Laudato si' (May 24, 2015), 17.

[6] Short. ap. Evangelii gaudium (24 November 2013), 40.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Short. ap. Evangelii gaudium (24 November 2013), 132.

[9] Short. ap. Gaudete et exsultate (19 March 2018), 39.

[10] Comisión Teológica Internacional, La esperanza de salvación para los niños que die sin bautismo (19 April 2007), 2.

[11] Short. ap. Evangelii gaudium (24 November 2013), 35

[01089-ES.01] [Original text: Español]

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/07/01/0487/01090.html