Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life () is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for everything which concerns institutes of consecrated life (orders and religious congregations, both of men and of women, secular institutes) and Society of Apostolic Life regarding their government, discipline, studies, goods, rights, and privileges.

The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has its origins in the "Sacred Congregation for Consultations about Regulars" founded by Pope Sixtus V on May 27, 1586. its name was changed in 1908 to the Congregation of the Affairs of Religious, its name was again changed to the Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes in 1967 by Pope Paul VI and finally to its current name by Pope John Paul II.

The current Prefect is Archbishop João Bráz de Aviz. The current Secretary is Archbishop Joseph William Tobin, C.SS.R., who was the former superior-general of the Redemptorists. There are two Undersecretaries of the Congregation, Sister Enrica Rosanna, F.M.A. (the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in any post of the Roman Curia), and Father Sebastiano Paciolla, O.Cist.

Cardinal Prefects since 1899

• Girolamo Maria Gotti, OCD (1899–1902)
• José Calassanç Vives y Tuto, OFM Cap (1908–1913)
• Ottavio Cagiano de Azevedo (1913–1915)
• Domenico Serafini, OSB (1916)
• Diomede Falconio, OFM (1916–1917)
• Giulio Tonti (1917–1918)
• Raffaele...... ...
...

Read More