Seit die Akten der Jahre 1922 bis 1939 im Vatikanischen Geheimarchiv zugänglich sind, können die Verfahren der Entscheidungsfindung dieser Zeit detailliert nachgezeichnet werden. Es zeigt sich, dass damals Entwicklungen zu einem vorläufigen Abschluss kamen, die eine Kernfrage der Ekklesiologie berühren: das Spannungsfeld zwischen monarchischer und kollegialer Kirchenleitung. Pius XI. berief die Kongregation für die Außerordentlichen Kirchlichen Angelegenheiten kaum noch ein, das Konsistorium nutzte er vor allem noch, um Entscheidungen zu verkünden. Er entschied allein, wenn ihm die Präfekten der Kongregationen oder der Kardinalstaatssekretär in Privataudienzen Fragen vorlegten, während diese kaum miteinander sprachen. Wichtig waren neben den Nuntien informelle Netzwerke, zugleich stellte die steigende Flut einlaufender Informationen die Kurie vor große Herausforderungen. Diese Strukturen prägen den Vatikan bis heute – und haben in jüngster Zeit vermehrt zu Rufen nach Reformen geführt.

Since all records from the pontificate of Pius XI (1922-1939) became accessible in the Vatican Secret Archives as of fall 2006, the procedures of decision-making of this period can be retraced in detail. It appears that during these years age-long developments came to a preliminary conclusion; these refer to a crucial question of ecclesiology: the area of conflict between monarchic and collegial church leadership. Pius XI rarely convoked the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, in which important issues of church policy had been discussed before, and used the consistory mainly as a forum to announce his decisions and to let them be received. Solely the pope decided when the prefects of the congregations and particularly the Cardinal Secretary of State were to submit questions to him, while the latter hardly spoke with each other. Consequently, the private audiences emerged as the main place of decision. Besides the nuncios, informal networks of informants played an important role; at the same time, the increasing flood of daily arriving information confronted the Curia with considerable challenges. The structures from the time of Pius XI shape the Vatican until today – and have increasingly led to demands for reforms and especially for a periodically sitting cabinet consisting of leading representatives of the congregations and the curial councils chaired by the pope.