| PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE PROFILE § 1 - The Pontifical Academy for Life, having its principal office in Vatican City State, was established by Pope Saint John Paul II with the Motu Proprio Vitae Mysterium of 11 February 1994. The objective of the Pontifical Academy for Life is the defence and promotion of the value of human life and of the dignity of the person. § 2 - The specific responsibility of the Academy is:
a) to study, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the problems connected with the promotion and defence of human life;
b) to form persons in a culture of life – in the areas of its proper competence – through appropriate initiatives, and always with full respect for the Magisterium of the Church;
c) to inform, in a clear and timely manner, Church leaders, the various biomedical science institutions and societal health care organizations, the media, and civil society in general, about the most significant results of its own study and research (Cf. Vitae Mysterium, 4).
§ 3 - The Academy has a primarily scientific role, for the promotion and defence of human life (Cf. Vitae Mysterium, 4). In particular, it studies various matters dealing with care for the dignity of the human person at different stages of life, mutual respect between the sexes and generations; the defence of the dignity of each individual human being; and the promotion of a quality of human life that integrates material and spiritual values. It does so in the context of a genuine “human ecology” that seeks to recover the original balance in creation between the human person and the whole universe (cf. Chirograph of 15 August 2016). § 4 - In carrying out the activity envisioned by these Statutes, the Pontifical Academy for Life cooperates with the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, above all with the Secretariat of State and the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, with due regard for their respective areas of competence and in a collaborative spirit. § 5 – In its efforts to promote and spread the culture of life, the Academy maintains close contacts with institutes of higher education, scientific societies and research centres that deal with various life-related issues.
Statutes of the Pontifical Academy for Life |
