As we previewed this morning our Specola, Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, emeritus archbishop of Aparecida, has submitted his resignation from the position of Pontifical Commissioner of the Heralds of the Gospel, a responsibility he had held since September 2019. Infovaticana exclusively publishes the letter, dated November 18, 2025, and addressed to the prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life, Sister Simona Brambilla, which communicates his decision without detailing the reasons that motivate it.
This is a particularly relevant fact in an intervention that has already exceeded six years and continues without a clear conclusion.
A process without solutions
From the beginning of the intervention, various internal issues of the Heralds have been the subject of observation, including aspects related to their structure and spiritual functioning. However, none of these matters has been resolved definitively.
Read also: Heralds of the Gospel: eight years of accusations without proof
The institute remains subject to significant restrictions, such as the inability to ordain new priests and the limitation of essential areas of its internal life. These measures, prolonged over time without a conclusive explanation, have left a charism with numerous vocations in a state of indefininition that is difficult to justify.
The Commissioner's resignation, far from dispelling this uncertainty, makes it more evident.
A resignation that raises questions
Without official explanations, the resignation opens two possible readings that cannot be discarded. On one hand, it could be a gesture of exhaustion in the face of a process blocked for years, without tangible advances or clear prospects.
On the other hand, it is not impossible that Damasceno's departure responds to a forced resignation, intended to clear the way for much more aggressive measures to be applied from Rome that the cardinal would not be willing to assume or support. The discreet and abrupt manner in which the resignation is formalized allows this scenario to be considered as a plausible explanation for the move.
In either case, the resignation exposes the lack of direction in the process.
A decisive opportunity for Leo XIV
This scenario offers Pope Leo XIV an exceptional opportunity to mark differences from the previous stage and to channel a case that has become a symbol of prolonged, restrictive interventions without sufficient legal concreteness.
The moment demands clarity and a firm decision: either the situation of the Heralds of the Gospel is normalized, or the process is concluded with a definitive ruling. Maintaining the current state of indefinite blockage, which has already proven to be unproductive, would only prolong the sensation of arbitrariness and lack of transparency.
An intervention by the Pontiff at this point would strengthen confidence in Canon Law and send a clear signal about the course his pontificate will take in matters of consecrated life.
Completely open scenario
For now, it is not known who will take over from Cardinal Damasceno nor what orientation the Dicastery will adopt. The truth is that the resignation leaves the future of the intervention on the Heralds of the Gospel in a completely open scenario, awaiting decisions that put an end to one of the most prolonged and controversial situations in recent years within the Church.
We provide below the full text of the letter translated into English:
Brasília – DF, November 18, 2025.
To Sister Simona Brambilla
Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Vatican City
Reverend Sister Simona,
With my respectful greetings, I come to inform you of my resignation from the mission of Pontifical Commissioner for the Heralds of the Gospel.
This mission was entrusted to me, in September 2019, by the late Pope Francis; since then I have undertaken all possible efforts to fulfill such an important mission, always seeking the glory of God and the good of the Church.
Throughout the period, I had Auxiliaries appointed by the Dicastery and mainly Collaborators chosen by me, who assumed with fraternal spirit the help requested by the Dicastery; and, after more than six years, I have the full conviction that the best decision is to delegate this mission to another person.
In expressing my gratitude for the trust placed in me, I confirm my resignation and renew my respectful wishes of high esteem in the Lord.
Fraternally,
Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis
Emeritus Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Aparecida