Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez

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Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández delivers the homily during the sixth Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on May 1, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

FULL TEXT: Cardinal Fernández’s homily on the sixth day of Novendiales

Here is the full text of the homily from Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, delivered at the sixth Novendiales Mass on... Read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández elevates the chalice during the sixth Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on May 1, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

At Novendiales Mass, Cardinal Fernández recalls Pope Francis’ love of work

May 1, 2025

By Hannah Brockhaus

The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and a close personal friend of the late Pope... Read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, presides over a press conference on Friday, May 17, 2024, on the Vatican’s new document on Marian apparitions.

Vatican doctrine chief warns against ‘claim to omnipotence’ of gender ideology

Feb 18, 2025

By AC Wimmer

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández addressed scholars at the Cologne School of Catholic Theology about gender ideology’s “claim to omnipotence.” Read more

Facade of St. Peter's Basilica.

Vatican may add ‘spiritual abuse’ to crimes in Church law

Nov 26, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is forming a working group with the Dicastery for Legislative Texts with... Read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, pictured here in 2014, took up his new post as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in September 2023.

Vatican to publish document on ‘moral questions’ regarding human dignity, gender, surrogacy

Apr 2, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The Holy See Press Office announced Tuesday that the new document, titled Dignitas Infinita (“Infinite Dignity”) (On Human Dignity), will... Read more

Archbishop Emeritus Héctor Aguer of La Plata, Argentina.

Argentine archbishop criticizes cardinals who back Fiducia Supplicans

Feb 5, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

Archbishop Emeritus Héctor Aguer of La Plata, Argentina, criticized two cardinals who expressed support for the Vatican declaration Fiducia Supplicans. Read more

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Resurfaced Fernández book prompts concerns

Jan 18, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

Some Catholics have raised concerns over both the tone and theology of a recently resurfaced sexually explicit book written by... Read more

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Rediscovered book by Cardinal Fernández features graphic erotic passages on ‘spirituality and sensuality’

Jan 8, 2024

By Jonathan Liedl

The 1998 book’s provocative, sexually-charged themes are likely to add further scrutiny to the already embattled prefect of the Vatican’s... Read more

St. Peter's Dome.

Vatican responds to widespread backlash on same-sex blessing directive

Jan 4, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández maintained that the Vatican’s recent declaration on same-sex blessings was “clear and definitive about marriage and... Read more

A blessing service at St. Augustin Catholic church in Würzburg, Germany, for couples, including those of the same-sex, May 10, 2021.

TIMELINE: What has the Catholic Church said about same-sex ‘blessings’?

Dec 20, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Here’s a timeline of how the controversy over same-sex blessings has unfolded. Read more

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Vatican doctrine office encourages single mothers to receive Communion after confession

Dec 14, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican’s doctrine office published a letter on Thursday confirming that single mothers can receive Communion after going to confession. Read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández celebrates his Mass of titular possession at the Church of Sts. Urban and Lawrence at Prima Porta on the northern outskirts of Rome on Dec. 3, 2023.

Cardinal Fernández: Offer yourselves to the Lord ‘like clay ready to be molded’

Dec 6, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The new head of the Vatican’s doctrine office gave a homily this week in which he encouraged Catholics to be... Read more

Post Francis' post-synodal apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia in Vatican City on April 8, 2016.

Here’s the full text of the Vatican’s response to dubia on divorced and remarried Catholics

Oct 3, 2023

By CNA Staff

Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka had submitted to the Vatican a request for pastoral guidance. Read more

Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka speaks at the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 10, 2021.

Vatican responds to Cardinal Duka’s dubia on divorced and remarried Catholics

Oct 2, 2023

By Jonathan Liedl

Originally submitted by the archbishop emeritus of Prague on July 13, the DDF’s response had been issued to the Czech... Read more

Cardinal-elect Víctor Manuel Fernández was appointed by Pope Francis on July 1, 2023, to become the next prefect for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Vatican releases Pope Francis’ responses to pre-synod dubia, criticizes cardinals

Oct 2, 2023

By Jonathan Liedl

The pope’s responses, originally issued July 11, responded to requests for doctrinal clarification on the development of doctrine, same-sex unions,... Read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández.

‘Not much new’ will come out of this year’s synod, Vatican’s doctrine chief predicts

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández predicts that “those who expect big changes” to come out of this month’s Synod of Bishops... Read more

Cardinal-elect Víctor Manuel Fernández was appointed by Pope Francis on July 1, 2023, to become the next prefect for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

New doctrine chief welcomes debate but warns bishops about ‘schism’ risks

Sep 11, 2023

By Shannon Mullen

The Argentine prelate said theological debate deepens the Church’s understanding of the Gospel. Read more

Pope Francis greets Cardinal Luis Ladaria.

Pope Francis thanks Cardinal Ladaria for years heading Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith

Sep 5, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Sept 11, Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández will assume the position in Ladaria's place as prefect of the Dicastery for... Read more

Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Gabriel Antonio Mestre as Archbishop of the diocese of La Plata, Argentina.

Pope Francis continues ‘legacy’ appointments in naming Fernández’s successor

Jul 28, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis on Friday named Gabriel Antonio Mestre, 54, archbishop of the Diocese of La Plata, Argentina. Read more

Pope Francis creates new cardinals at a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 5, 2019.

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including Archbishop Fernández

Jul 9, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has created 121 cardinals from 66 countries at eight consistories. Read more