Since the beginning of my Pontificate, accepting the wealth of stimulating ideas offered by the Second Vatican Council, I have wanted to develop the church's dialogue with the contemporary world. In particular, I have sought to foster the encounter with non-believers in the privileged area of culture, a fundamental dimension of the spirit, which places people in a relationship with one another and unites them in what is most truly theirs, namely, their common humanity.

To this end, convinced that the synthesis between culture and faith is not just a demand of culture, but also of faith, in 1982 I created the Pontifical Council for Culture with the intention of strengthening the Church's pastoral presence in this specific, vital area, in which the world's destiny is at stake at the approach of the third millennium; at the same time, I wanted to promote dialogue with non-Christian religions and with individuals and groups not claiming any religion, in the common search for a cultural communication with all people of good will (Letter to Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Secretary of State, 20 May 1982; Insegnamenti, vol. V/2, 1982, pp. 1777 ff.).

In recent years a deeper awareness has been gained concerning the close relationship between the work of the Pontifical Council and the activity performed by the Pontifical Commission for Preserving the Church's Patrimony of Art and History, which I established on 28 June 1988; although the latter has had but a brief period of activity, it has demonstrated its necessity. Indeed, by its very nature faith tends to express itself in artistic forms and historical testimony having an intrinsic evangelizing power and cultural value, to which the Church is called to pay the greatest attention.

It has also been deemed opportune to improve the Holy See's outstanding presence in the area of culture by renewing and linking the Pontifical Academies.

After carefully considering these matters, I have decided to derogate from the provisions of the Constitution Pastor Bonus and to unite the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Dialogue with Non-Believers, joining them in a single entity that will be called the Pontifical Council for Culture, and with which the Pontifical Commission for Preserving the Church's Patrimony of Art and History will maintain periodic contacts.

The new entity will be governed by the following norms: