VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV has promulgated new statutes for the Pontifical Academy for Life, reaffirming its mission to promote and defend the value of human life and the dignity of the person.
The new statutes, signed by the pope on February 27 and released by the Vatican Press Office on February 28, introduce a new category of members known as “supporters.”
According to Vatican News, supporters are individuals who identify with the academy’s mission and help advance its academic activities even if they do not possess an academic background.
New role of supporters
Under the new statutes, supporters will be appointed by the academy’s board of directors, subject to approval from the Secretariat of State.
They will serve three-year terms and may be renewed for two additional consecutive terms.
The statutes state that supporters are individuals who share the academy’s institutional goals and wish to contribute to its work, despite not being academic scholars.
Background of the academy
The Pontifical Academy for Life was founded in 1994 by Pope John Paul II through the document Vitae Mysterium.
At the time, the pope highlighted the growing interest among experts in studying human life due to advances in science and technology.
He also warned that new scientific possibilities raise complex moral questions that humanity must address carefully.
Update to previous statutes
The new statutes update the framework previously approved in 2016 by Pope Francis.
Work on the revision began more than a year ago, according to Vatican News.
The update aims to strengthen the academy’s mission of promoting ethical reflection on issues related to human life, especially in light of scientific and technological developments.