Vatican City, Aug 31, 2016 / 03:00 am
On Wednesday the Vatican announced Pope Francis' decision to form a new mega-dicastery merging the Vatican offices for Justice and Peace, Migrants, charity and healthcare.
Dedicated to "Promoting Integral Human Development," the new department – also called a dicastery – was announced in an Aug. 31 communique from the Vatican.
The announcement was accompanied by the Motu Proprio "Humanam progressionem," meaning "Human Development," by which Pope Francis formally established the dicastery "Promoting Integral Human Development."
Set to take effect Jan. 1, 2017, the new congregation will take on the tasks of the Pontifical Councils for Justice and Peace, Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, Cor Unum, and Healthcare Workers.