Pontifical Council Cor Unum

The Pontifical Council Cor Unum (One Heart) for Human and Christian Development was a pontifical council of the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church from 1971 to 2016.

History

Cor Unum was established by Pope Paul VI on 15 July 1971.{{Cite web |title=Library : The Pontifical Council Cor Unum |url=https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=8723 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.catholicculture.org}} It was based in the Palazzo San Callisto, located on the Piazza San Callisto in Rome.[https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/wss/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/corunum/documents/rc_pc_corunum_doc_03302000_Attivita_Iniziative_Activities1999_en.html Vatican website, Together with the Holy Father to give witness to the Love of Christ among those Suffering in Soul and Body]

On 1 January 2017, Pope Francis disbanded Cor Unum as part of his reorganization of the Roman Curia, giving its responsibilities to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.[https://www.ncronline.org/news/dicastery-human-development-oversee-caritas-internationalis National Catholic Reporter website, Dicastery for human development to oversee Caritas Internationalis, May 21, 2019]{{cite news | newspaper = National Catholic Reporter | date = 31 August 2016 | access-date = 31 August 2016 | first = Joshua J. | last = McElwee | url = https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-creates-new-vatican-office-charity-justice-peace-migration | title = Francis creates new Vatican office for charity, justice, peace, migration }}

Description

Paul VI explained the naming of Cor Unum in 1972:

"So we were able to give your ecclesial action for aid the name of one heart, a heart that beats in rhythm with the heart of Christ, whose pity for the hungry multitudes reaches them even in their spiritual hunger".{{Cite web |title=PONTIFICAL COUNCIL COR UNUM |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/corunum/documents/rc_pc_corunum_pro_15101999_en.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.vatican.va}}

The mission of Cor Unum was "the care of the Catholic Church for the needy, thereby encouraging human fellowship and making manifest the charity of Christ", (Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus, art. 145). It was designed to carry out humanitarian relief operations following disasters, with the aim of fostering charity and encouraging cooperation and coordination of other Catholic organizations.

In 1984, Pope John Paul II established the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel, to be run by Cor Unum. Its job was to combat drought and desertification in the Sahel Region of Africa. It also established the Populorum Progressio Foundation, which worked with indigenous peoples in the Caribbean and Latin America.{{Cite web |title=PONTIFICAL COUNCIL COR UNUM |url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/corunum/documents/rc_pc_corunum_pro_15101999_en.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.vatican.va}}

Officials

In 2009, Cor Unum had 38 members, six consultors and a permanent staff of ten. The pope appointed the president, secretary, under-secretary, council members and consultors for five-year terms.

= Presidents =

Cardinal Jean Villot (15 July 1971 – 4 September 1978) (France)
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin[https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-70-1978-ocr.pdf Vatican website, Acta Apostolicae Sedis Commentarium Officiale (An. et Vol. LXX) , 1978] (4 September 1978 – 8 April 1984) (Benin)
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray[https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/cardinal-etchegaray-key-papal-envoy-st-john-paul-ii-dies-96 National Catholic Reporter, Cardinal Etchegaray, key papal envoy of St. John Paul II, dies at 96, article dated September 5, 2019] (8 April 1984 – 2 December 1995) (France)
Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes[https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/papal-charity-worldwide-1701 Eternal Word Television Network website, Papal Charity Worldwide, by Guido Giannini, dated May 11, 2005] (2 December 1995 – 7 October 2010) (Germany)
Cardinal Robert Sarah[https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/forty-years-at-the-service-of-the-charitable-works-of-the-church-1607 Eternal Word Television Network website, Forty Years at the Service of the Charitable Works of the Church, by Cardinal Robert Sarah, dated July 20, 2011] (7 October 2010 – 24 November 2014) (Guinea)