Catholic News Service 03-Dec-13
Pope Francis and the eight members of his international
Council of Cardinals have begun their discussions on
specific ways to reorganize the Roman Curia, looking first at
the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments,
the Vatican spokesman said.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told
reporters Dec. 3, "They have to start somewhere," but
declined to provide more information about why the
congregation responsible for liturgy was the first to be
examined.
Spanish media have reported that Cardinal Antonio
Canizares Llovera, congregation prefect, will conclude his
five-year appointment Dec. 9 and could be named the next
archbishop of Madrid.
Pope Francis and the Council of Cardinals, named in April,
held their first full meeting in October and looked primarily
at the role of the Vatican secretary of state -- since
Archbishop Pietro Parolin was about to take over from
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone -- and revisions to the Synod of
Bishops, since the synod office needed to release a
preparatory document and questionnaire for the October
2014 gathering.
Father Lombardi, who spoke with council members during
their morning break on the first day of the Dec. 3-5 meeting,
said they emphasized that they were looking "in depth" at
the curia and ways of restructuring it, not at "small touch
ups."
"The idea is not small or marginal changes, but that of a
consistent revision of the apostolic constitution, to the point
that a completely new constitution on the Roman Curia is
expected," he said.
After the cardinals' first meeting in October, Father
Lombardi had made a similar point, telling reporters the
cardinals were moving clearly in the direction of an
apostolic constitution to replace "Pastor Bonus." The 1988
document was Blessed John Paul II's constitution on the
structure and responsibilities of the curia.
Father Lombardi said given the depth of what the council is
trying to do, "I wouldn't expect any conclusions in a brief
period of time."
When Pope Francis named the cardinals to advise him,
Father Lombardi said, he did not choose them as continental
representatives; however, their positions have allowed them
to attend meetings of different bishops' conferences and to
continue collecting suggestions and concerns from bishops
in their parts of the world.
While the council does not include the head of any Vatican
congregation or council, he said, officials of the Roman
Curia responded to an invitation to send their ideas and
questions to the council.
The council members begin their day concelebrating an early
morning Mass with Pope Francis in the chapel of his
residence. After breakfast, the meetings take place from 9
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. in a small room near the
chapel. Pope Francis was expected to attend all the sessions,
with the exception of the morning of Dec. 4 when he was
scheduled to hold his weekly general audience.
The next meeting of the council with the pope is scheduled
for Feb. 17-18, Father Lombardi said. The meeting will be
right before a likely gathering of the entire College of
Cardinals with Pope Francis on the eve of the Feb. 22
consistory at which Pope Francis plans to create new
cardinals.
Pope Francis may use the gathering of the entire College of
Cardinals as an opportunity to inform them of the council's
work that far, Father Lombardi said.
The pope has asked his eight cardinal advisers for counsel on
the Vatican's finances, which is likely to be the theme of the
February meeting, Father Lombardi said.
The reorganization of the Roman Curia and improved
relations between local bishops and the Vatican were key
topics at the meetings of the College of Cardinals preceding
the election of Pope Francis in March.
The eight members of his council are: Cardinals Francisco
Javier Errazuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile;
Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; Reinhard Marx of
Munich and Freising, Germany; Laurent Monsengwo
Pasinya of Kinshasa, Congo; Sean P. O'Malley of Boston;
George Pell of Sydney; Giuseppe Bertello, president of the
commission governing Vatican City State; and Oscar
Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Pope Francis and the eight members of his international
Council of Cardinals have begun their discussions on
specific ways to reorganize the Roman Curia, looking first at
the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments,
the Vatican spokesman said.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told
reporters Dec. 3, "They have to start somewhere," but
declined to provide more information about why the
congregation responsible for liturgy was the first to be
examined.
Spanish media have reported that Cardinal Antonio
Canizares Llovera, congregation prefect, will conclude his
five-year appointment Dec. 9 and could be named the next
archbishop of Madrid.
Pope Francis and the Council of Cardinals, named in April,
held their first full meeting in October and looked primarily
at the role of the Vatican secretary of state -- since
Archbishop Pietro Parolin was about to take over from
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone -- and revisions to the Synod of
Bishops, since the synod office needed to release a
preparatory document and questionnaire for the October
2014 gathering.
Father Lombardi, who spoke with council members during
their morning break on the first day of the Dec. 3-5 meeting,
said they emphasized that they were looking "in depth" at
the curia and ways of restructuring it, not at "small touch
ups."
"The idea is not small or marginal changes, but that of a
consistent revision of the apostolic constitution, to the point
that a completely new constitution on the Roman Curia is
expected," he said.
After the cardinals' first meeting in October, Father
Lombardi had made a similar point, telling reporters the
cardinals were moving clearly in the direction of an
apostolic constitution to replace "Pastor Bonus." The 1988
document was Blessed John Paul II's constitution on the
structure and responsibilities of the curia.
Father Lombardi said given the depth of what the council is
trying to do, "I wouldn't expect any conclusions in a brief
period of time."
When Pope Francis named the cardinals to advise him,
Father Lombardi said, he did not choose them as continental
representatives; however, their positions have allowed them
to attend meetings of different bishops' conferences and to
continue collecting suggestions and concerns from bishops
in their parts of the world.
While the council does not include the head of any Vatican
congregation or council, he said, officials of the Roman
Curia responded to an invitation to send their ideas and
questions to the council.
The council members begin their day concelebrating an early
morning Mass with Pope Francis in the chapel of his
residence. After breakfast, the meetings take place from 9
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. in a small room near the
chapel. Pope Francis was expected to attend all the sessions,
with the exception of the morning of Dec. 4 when he was
scheduled to hold his weekly general audience.
The next meeting of the council with the pope is scheduled
for Feb. 17-18, Father Lombardi said. The meeting will be
right before a likely gathering of the entire College of
Cardinals with Pope Francis on the eve of the Feb. 22
consistory at which Pope Francis plans to create new
cardinals.
Pope Francis may use the gathering of the entire College of
Cardinals as an opportunity to inform them of the council's
work that far, Father Lombardi said.
The pope has asked his eight cardinal advisers for counsel on
the Vatican's finances, which is likely to be the theme of the
February meeting, Father Lombardi said.
The reorganization of the Roman Curia and improved
relations between local bishops and the Vatican were key
topics at the meetings of the College of Cardinals preceding
the election of Pope Francis in March.
The eight members of his council are: Cardinals Francisco
Javier Errazuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile;
Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; Reinhard Marx of
Munich and Freising, Germany; Laurent Monsengwo
Pasinya of Kinshasa, Congo; Sean P. O'Malley of Boston;
George Pell of Sydney; Giuseppe Bertello, president of the
commission governing Vatican City State; and Oscar
Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
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