Pope Francis approved that the “Pan American Committee of Judges for Social Rights and Franciscan Doctrine (COPAJU)” become a “Private Association of the Faithful”.
“This Association has an international character and also gives rise to the Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Institute of Legal Research,” said the Holy Father through a chirograph, that is, a decree issued by the Pope, disseminated by the Press Office of the Holy See this Friday, August 18.
From this moment on, COPAJU authorities must have pontifical approval for their proposals for the five-year period, and the authorities of the Institute will be headed by prominent professors and experts in the field.
With this decision, Pope Francis promotes social justice and human rights from a Franciscan perspective, fostering collaboration between magistrates and academics in pursuit of a more just and supportive world.
According to the papal document, COPAJU had its origins in the City of Buenos Aires and has played a prominent role in the Argentine Republic since 2017. In addition, it held its first regional meeting at the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires in June 2018.
The Committee was established in the Vatican in June 2019 under the supervision of the Holy Father, with the participation of 120 magistrates from the three Americas, in an event that took place at the Casina Pio IV, the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of the Social Sciences.
The Pontiff stressed that since then COPAJU has worked hard in the protection and promotion of social rights from the magistracy, with special emphasis on marginalized social sectors and affected by processes of neocolonialism.
The Committee has established national chapters in several countries in the Americas, and its influence continues to grow throughout the continent, the Pope argued.
In the same sense, the Holy Father highlighted that COPAJU has issued numerous guidance documents and has taken public positions in various situations within its competence. In addition, he has edited specialized texts that are available on the www.copaju.org website.
Therefore, Pope Francis, responding to the request of the founders of COPAJU, approved that the Committee become a “Private Association of the Faithful of an international nature”, in accordance with canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the Code of Law. Canonical. This new association will have a private legal personality according to Canon 322, § 1.
COPAJU will operate under statutes that will come into force on August 31, 2023. In addition, the Pope appointed Judge Roberto Andrés Gallardo of Argentina as President of the Committee for the period 2023-2028, along with other judges from different countries of America.