The Pontifical Councils are a group of several mid-sized dicasteries, each led by a cardinal or archbishop as president, which are part of the larger organization called the Roman Curia. The Roman Curia is charged with helping the Pope in his governance and oversight of the Roman Catholic Church.R
The currently active Pontifical Councils are:
Pontifical Council for Culture (20 May 1982)
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (19 May 1964, renamed 28 June 1988)
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts (5 September 1917, renamed 28 June 1988)
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (5 June 1960, renamed 28 June 1988)
Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization (28 June 2010)
As of 29 June 2016, the functions and responsibilities of the following Pontifical Council were assumed by the Secretariat for Communications.
Pontifical Council for Social Communications (30 January 1948 – 29 June 2016)
As of 1 September 2016, the functions and responsibilities of the following Pontifical Councils were assumed by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
Pontifical Council for the Family (9 May 1981 – 1 September 2016)
Pontifical Council for the Laity (6 Jan 1967 – 1 September 2016)
As of 1 January 2017, the functions and responsibilities of the following Pontifical Councils were assumed by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
Pontifical Council Cor Unum (15 July 1971 – 1 January 2017)
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (6 January 1967, renamed 28 June 1988 – 1 January 2017)
Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers (11 February 1985 – 1 January 2017)
Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples (28 June 1988 – 1 January 2017)
