Pope reorganizes Diocese of Rome to better integrate center and peripheries

By Antonella Palermo

On October 1, Pope Francis signed a Motu Owner which redefines the boundaries of prefectures within the Diocese of Rome to better harmonize parishes and their surrounding contexts.

The five existing central prefectures will be integrated with the other sectors, reorganizing the diocese according to the four cardinal directions.

Foster greater ecclesial communion

In the document, the Pope explains that as the Jubilee of Hope 2025 approaches, it has become “necessary and urgent” to reassess the pastoral role of the Diocese of Rome.

This reassessment, he noted, is driven by the cultural changes of our times and the need to create a more dynamic relationship between the city center and its peripheries.

The Pope stressed that the intention behind this change, which will take several months to implement, is to promote an “ever greater spirit of ecclesial communion.”

Center and periphery

The paper begins by highlighting how the growth of Rome’s urban sprawl has gradually created a divide between the city center and its outskirts.

The historic center, the Holy Father observed, “has become increasingly isolated, in danger of becoming more of a tourist destination than a living expression of all the holiness of Rome.”

Meanwhile, the peripheries have often been neglected by local authorities and are perceived as underserved.

On the one hand, Pope Francis suggested, the center is experiencing a residential exodus, mainly inhabited by commuters, tourists and traders, while its pastoral activity has declined, while retaining some positive aspects.

On the other hand, the Pope added, the peripheries have found a solid and essential anchor in their parishes, which serve as vital community hubs.

“This potential has remained dormant for too long,” the Pope writes, “and we must now rethink it and put it at the service of the people of God.”

Breaking down barriers: building bridges rather than walls

The document continues: “In this vision, there is no longer an isolated center and a fragmented periphery, but a dynamic vision that seeks not walls, but bridges.

The Diocese of Rome will be seen as a central entity extending outward through the four cardinal directions. » The removal of the limits of the central sector, specifies the Pope, “does not mean closing it, but opening it”.

The aim is to encourage “greater collaboration and unity of purpose within the Bishops’ Council, particularly in such a key area of ​​the city”.

The hope, he added, is to overcome the “bipolar tension” that has developed over time between social and ecclesial perceptions of the historic center and the periphery.

Adapt pastoral rhythms to the needs of the faithful

THE Motu owner is inspired by the four principles of the social doctrine of the Church, set out in Evangelii Gaudiumwhich Pope Francis has reiterated in various contexts, notably during his recent apostolic visits to Luxembourg and Belgium.

“If pastors do not recognize that the changes of our times also require adjustments in sacramental and pastoral rhythms, the risk is sterility,” the Pope warned.

He stressed the importance of considering the rhythms of the People of God within specific parishes and adapting schedules to better fit the lives of families.

Integrating the central sector with others also means ensuring that these areas participate in Rome’s rich Christian heritage.

In practice, this, the pope acknowledged, will allow meetings, celebrations and sector gatherings to be held in historic spaces, thus bringing to the forefront the deep roots of Roman Catholic identity.

Beyond Numbers: The Depth of Spiritual Experience

As Pope Francis emphasized, “time is greater than space,” meaning that preparations for the Jubilee should not focus solely on the number of pilgrims, but rather on maintaining a deeper sense of history, beauty and unity.

The Pope insisted that “the Jubilee Gates, before being an opportunity to welcome pilgrims from all over the world, should be a pilgrimage destination for the Romans themselves.”

He offered examples of urban pilgrimages, such as the “Crown of Mary” or the “Walk of the Seven Churches” on the path of Saint Philip Neri, visits to the catacombs, to the cemetery of Verano in November, to the Spanish Steps for the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Holy Cradle of Santa Maria Maggiore at Christmas, the churches of the Lent station, the Holy Stairs and Santa Croce of Gerusalemme during Holy Week, as well as the numerous Marian icons to discover in May and October.

“The more we take care of the most vulnerable, the more beautiful we become”

Pope Francis also reflected on the concept of beauty, saying that “beauty will only save the world if the Church is capable of saving beauty” and warned against the ideological manipulation of beauty in the name of a false progress or its reduction to a consumer good. .

Returning to a maternal metaphor, the Pope said the entire city of Rome, not just its historic center, is a manifestation of the Church’s maternal care.

“Vulnerability is another expression of beauty that demands our attention,” he wrote. “The more we care for the most vulnerable, the more beautiful we become.”

The Holy Father took the opportunity to thank the many volunteers and workers who, with a true evangelical spirit, have made Rome a city sensitive to the needs of the most deprived, particularly in the historic center.

He praised the various organizations and brotherhoods dedicated to serving the most vulnerable, encouraging the diocese to “recognize, expand and support” their efforts.

“Fiefdoms” in the Church are a sin against communion

Finally, the Pope addressed the issue of divisions within the Church, saying that “today it makes no sense to multiply affiliations with subcultures which, instead of strengthening diocesan unity , often encourage conflicts.

He insisted: “There cannot be fiefdoms in the ecclesial division of territories.”

Reducing parishes to isolated microcosms or allowing communities to act as distinct subcultures is, he believes, a sin against ecclesial communion. This also applies to ecclesial movements that spend their energy emphasizing differences rather than fostering diocesan unity.

Rome, he stressed, is “a great house where all – Romans and non-Romans – should feel “at home”, welcomed like pilgrims”.

The Bishop of Rome concluded by urging that the “synodal dynamism” of the Church be embraced and encouraged within the diocese, promoting a spirit of unity and rejecting the elitist and selfish tendency to “build walls of separation and conflict.

Instead, Pope Francis suggested, “our diocese must build open bridges” to strengthen ecclesial communion, so that all, individually and collectively, belong only to Christ and his Church.