ITMME is an institution directed by the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ for the formation of future priests, for the permanent formation of clergy<\/strong>, for the formation of religious men and women and for the formation of lay people committed to theological and philosophical pastoral work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2017, the same Dicastery had granted its first affiliation to ITMME for a period of five years. In 2020, the Dicastery established a reform in ecclesiastical studies according to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium, requesting Ecclesiastical Faculties and Higher Studies Institutes to adapt to the new regulations. With this new approval, ITMME will continue to offer bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Theology with pontifical value, for the formation of future priests, religious men and women, and lay people who work in theological and philosophical pastoral ministry.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Every 5 years we have to renew this affiliation. Since 2017, we, here in Brazil, can issue the same diplomas with pontifical value that our Pontifical Athenaeum in Rome grants. The Holy See renewed our affiliation, approved our Statutes according to the new norms and, in an unprecedented way, conferred canonical and juridical ecclesiastical personality to our Maria Mater Ecclesiae Theological Institute. <\/strong>Each renewal is an approval from the Holy See and shows the confidence that the Church has in us and in our mission,” explains Fr. Bruno do Esp\u00edrito Santo, LC, director of the institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several people from all over Brazil have already benefited from ITMME’s formation through bachelor’s degrees in Theology and Philosophy, or from its free and extension courses, conferences, short courses, congresses, etc., both in-person and distance learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below we reproduce the translation of the Dicastery’s decree, in which it affiliates ITMME to the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome and grants it public canonical juridical personality:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/subdir.legionariosdecristo.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2023\/07\/Brasil-ITTT2-1024x768.jpeg\")
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