Pontifical Council for the Laity

The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council (since 4 October 2003) is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary (since 25 November 2003) is Bishop Josef Clemens. The Undersecretary (since 18 June 2011) is Mgsr. Miguel Delgado Galindo. Past Undersecretaries were, Professor Rosemary Goldie, who served from 1967 to 1976 and who was the first woman to be the Undersecretary of a Pontifical Council and by then the highest-ranking woman in the Roman Curia, and Professor Guzman Carriquiry Lecour (1991 to 2011), another layman.

The Pontifical Council for the Laity has its foundation in Vatican II's Decree on the Lay Apostolate. The council commenced in January 1967 with Pope Paul VI's motu proprio Catholicam Christi Ecclesiam. In December 1976, the council was included as a permanent fixture of the Roman Curia.

Presidents of the Pontifical Council for the Laity

• Cardinal Maurice Roy (6 Jan 1967 – 16 Dec 1976)
• Cardinal Opilio Rossi (10 Dec 1976 – 8 Apr 1984)
• Cardinal Eduardo Francisco Pironio (8 Apr 1984 – 20 Aug 1996)
• Cardinal James Stafford (20 Aug 1996 – 4 Oct 2003)
• Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko (4 Oct 2003 –

External links

Official Website

• Roman Curia description
• Pontifical Council for the Laity at GCatholic.org