VATICAN CITY (CNS) ─ Pope Francis had named four members to the council of the section of the Vatican Secretariat of State that deals with foreign relations.
The council of the secretariat's Section for Relations with States and International Organizations will include: Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization; Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; and Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. The fourth new member is Comboni Father Giulio Albanese, director of the Diocese of Rome's communications office and of its office for missionary cooperation.
The Vatican announced the appointments Feb. 22.
The Section for Relations with States and International Organizations is led by Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, who often is referred to as the Vatican foreign minister.
According to the apostolic constitution "Praedicate Evangelium" on the organization of the Roman Curia, the section's primary task "is to attend to matters dealing with the respective civil authorities" of countries around the world and international organizations.
The section, the constitution said, is responsible "for fostering the diplomatic and political relations of the Holy See with States and other subjects of international law and dealing with matters of common interest for the promotion of the good of the Church and of civil society, also by means of concordats and other international agreements, taking account of the considered views of the episcopal bodies that may be affected."
It also represents the Holy See "in international intergovernmental organizations and multilateral intergovernmental conferences," and is expected to review statements or documents from other offices of the Roman Curia "relating to international affairs or relations with civil authorities."
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