en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_XVI
1 correction found
which dealt with all missionary work outside of the Spanish Empire, including missions to the non-Catholic states in Europe.
This overstates Propaganda Fide’s remit. Its jurisdiction was not simply ‘outside the Spanish Empire’: sources on Catholic missionary administration say it operated outside the spheres of both Spain and Portugal, whose crowns retained patronage rights over many missions.
Full reasoning
The clause is too broad and is institutionally inaccurate. Historical reference works on Propaganda Fide explain that the congregation was created in response to the patronage rights of both the Spanish and Portuguese crowns, and that its jurisdiction did not extend to all missionary work outside the Spanish Empire.
One standard Catholic reference work says the congregation had to contend with the "excessive control that Spain and Portugal were then exercising over the administration of the missions" and notes that much of Central and South America was never under Propaganda Fide because of difficulties with the Spanish and Portuguese crowns. It adds that in Africa and Asia Propaganda Fide's jurisdiction excluded territories already ceded to the Portuguese and Spanish crowns.
A historical overview from Marist Studies likewise states that before Propaganda Fide, missionary work in newly discovered regions was the responsibility of the kings of Portugal and Spain, and that with the erection of Propaganda the Holy See wanted to provide for territories outside the sphere of influence of Portugal and Spain.
So the article's wording is misleading because it names only the Spanish Empire and says "all missionary work" outside it, when the historical jurisdictional divide involved both Iberian patronage systems.
2 sources
- Propagation of the Faith, Congregation for the | Encyclopedia.com
The two factors that necessitated a missionary congregation were ... the excessive control that Spain and Portugal were then exercising over the administration of the missions... The bulk of Central and South America were never under CPF because of difficulties with the Spanish and Portuguese crowns... Most of Africa and Asia... came to be subjected to CPF, except for those jurisdictions which had been ceded earlier to the Portuguese and Spanish crowns.
- APAC43 - Marist Studies
Before that time missionary work in the newly discovered regions of the world had been the responsibility of ... the kings of Portugal and Spain... With the erection of Propaganda the Holy See wanted to provide for territories outside the sphere of influence of Portugal and Spain.