Vatican City, 13 February 2015 (VIS) – The Extraordinary Consistory of the College of Cardinals with Pope Francis did not complete its work this morning as expected. The meeting will continue during the afternoon, with an update on the work of the Commission for the Protection of Minors by its president, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, explained the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., during a press conference today.
Yesterday, Thursday, the meeting continued in a serene and constructive atmosphere, with interventions by a further 28 cardinals who offered different perspectives on the reform of the Curia, focusing on the relationship between the Curia and the local Churches, and underlining the importance of better serving the Church in the world. They spoke of “decentralisation”, and the theme of “subsidiarity” was recurrent. Further reflection was invited on what can be done better and where: or rather, in which cases it would be more useful for the Roman dicasteries to act, and when instead the involvement of the dioceses or the episcopal conferences would be more useful.
Other interventions were dedicated to the usefulness and importance of the central service of the Holy See, bearing in mind the experience in various countries where the local church is weak and may be subject to pressure, and is therefore supported by the work of the Vatican.
Coordination within the Curia was addressed not with a merely functional focus, but rather from the perspective of a sense of communion between the different dicasteries, of communication that creates union in the common mission. More specifically, the interministerial commissions were referred to as tools for achieving this objective and the importance of continuity in this dimension of coordination was noted.
Emphasis was placed on the competence of the Secretariat of State with regard to the Holy See’s relations with international organisations and entities as a guarantee of coherence and the assumption of a common position. However, this does not mean that the Secretariat of State acts alone, but rather that it involves the dicasteries with specific competences, always with a guiding unity.
Simplification is a shared criterion. There were several considerations regarding the qualifications of people working in the Curia, from the point of view of professional competence and ecclesial spirit and dedication. Emphasis was placed on the need for professionals from different parts of the world and for the Church to better reflect her universality. In this respect, there was discussion on the role of the laity, women in particular, in the assumption of positions of responsibility in the Roman Curia.
Other interventions focused on the positive elements of the Apostolic Constitution “Pastor bonus”, which must not be lost from view; therefore, the reform process must ensure distinct continuity with this document, especially from an ecclesiological point of view.
This morning’s meeting, attended by 164 cardinals, focused primarily on a long report with four interventions on themes of an economic nature, introduced by Cardinal George Pell, president of the Secretariat for the Economy. Joseph F.X. Zahra of the Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the Economic and Administrative Structure of the Holy See (COSEA) then spoke about the study the Commission carried out last year on the organisational issues faced by the Holy See, and gave information on the Commission’s activity. It was the first time that the College of Cardinals has received such a detailed report in the presence of so many cardinals. The composition, role, work and competences of the Council for the Economy were then the subject of an intervention by Cardinal Reinhard Marx.
Cardinal Pell then gave further information regarding the recent activities of the Secretariat, focusing primarily on the balance for the year that has just commenced. Finally, Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, president of the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR) spoke about the current situation of this body.
Following the interventions by the cardinals, several questions were raised to the speakers. As well as asking for more specific details, the cardinals expressed their appreciation for the reorganisation work that has taken place and their conviction that this constitutes a convincing reform that prioritises transparency, integrity and competence. The speed with which it has been put into affect was also praised, given that there are already entities working according to the new guidelines. The reforms, it was affirmed, strengthen the credibility of the Church.
Questions of a more technical nature were also posed, regarding the competences of various bodies and the relations between the Holy See and Vatican City State….
For the first time in the history of bilateral
relations a vice-president led an all-female delegation to the Vatican. On 12
February Shahindokht Molaverdi of the Islamic Republic of Iran came to Rome and
discussed with Pope Francis and the Holy See dicasteries how to defend the family and promote the role
of women in society and in international politics. Today women are increasingly
the victims of violence and fundamentalism and yet they are the ones who can
radically change society. The delegation first met with the Pontifical Council
for the Family. Then the group entered the Vatican and met with the Pontiff. During
the round table discussion, moderated by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia,
President of the Pontifical Council for
the Family, 10 women – five from the Islamic Republic of Iran, led
by Vice-President Molaverdi, and five Vatican representatives – discussed
issues linked to the female identity and the family. In addition to the
Vice-President, the delegation from Iran included: Zohreh Sefati, counsellor on
issues regarding Islamic law; Ashraf Gheramizadegan, head of legal matters;
Aliye Shokrbeighi, secretary of a working group for healthy families, Fatemeh
Rahmati, counsellor for international issues; and Atefeh Karbalaei, journalist
at Iranian Students’ News Agency.
The representatives of the
Vatican were: Flaminia Giovannelli, Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace; Sr Mary Melone, Rector of the Pontifical Antonianum
University; Lucetta Scaraffia, columnist at our newspaper and head of
“Women Church World”; Myriam Tinti, professor of canon law; and
Giulia Galeotti of our newspaper. On the national day of the Islamic Republic of
Iran, Archbishop Paglia performed a small miracle: 11 women around one table
discussing women’s issue. It was a situation which cannot be taken for granted
but which was terribly auspicious….
Vatican City, 12 February 2015 (VIS) – A total of 165 cardinals participated in this morning’s first session of the Extraordinary Consistory with the Holy Father. Twenty-five were unable to attend due to illness or other serious problems, according to a report from the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., following the morning meeting.
Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga explained that the meeting of the Council of Cardinals (the so-called “C9”) which came to an end yesterday afternoon, focused primarily but not exclusively on the reform of the Curia; other themes addressed were the regulation of the Synod, the work of the Commission for the Protection of Minors, and relations with the economic entities of the Holy See (COSEA and IOR).
Bishop Marcello Semeraro, secretary of the C9, presented the main lines of reform of the Roman Curia, in the light of the meeting of heads of the dicasteries that took place in November 2014. The issues to be considered are the functions of the Roman Curia, its relationship with other entities such as the episcopal conferences, the criteria for rationalisation and simplification that must guide it in its tasks, the Secretariat of State, the coordination of the dicasteries of the Curia, the relationship between religious and laypersons and the procedures that must govern the preparation of the new constitution.
Reference was also made to the institution of two congregations. The first would encompass those organisms that until now have been concerned with the laity, the family and life. The second would deal with matters linked to charity, justice and peace. The collaboration of the Pontifical Councils and Academies dedicated to these themes could be strengthened.
Twelve prelates intervened during the morning session, observed Fr. Lombardi: mainly cardinals who have a profound knowledge of the workings of the Curia, although there have been contributions from a diverse range of contexts. It has been observed that reform is twofold, theological and juridical, and many of its assumptions relate to canon law and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, as well as relationships with the episcopates. It was also noted that the Pope is assisted not only by the Curia, but also by the College of Cardinals and the Synod of Bishops. In this regard, the themes of synodality and collegiality were discussed, and preference was expressed for the latter denomination rather than the former.
The issue of the ongoing training of staff of the Roman Curia was not overlooked, and consideration was given to the possibility of a rotation of duties to counteract routine. In this sector, both favourable and contrary opinions were expressed by the cardinals, who emphasised that some fields require a high level of specialisation and that for this reason, change would be inadvisable….
(Vatican Radio) One of the running themes through Pope Francis’ pontificate to date has been the need to move out to the peripheries of the Church and the world. In this context, it doesn’t get more peripheral than New Zealand. The Archbishop of Wellington, John Atcherley Dew, is one of the 20 men who will be created cardinal this Saturday in the extraordinary Consistory. Few were more surprised than he was to learn his name was on the Holy Father’s list. In fact speaking to Vatican Radio he confides that he learned about his appointment to the College of Cardinals via text message. Listen to Cardinal-designate Dew’s full interview with Emer McCarthy:
“It was three o’clock in the morning in New Zealand, and the Holy Father had said the Angelus and announced the new cardinals and I heard my phone beeping with messages saying congratulations and prayers for you and I had no idea what it was about”. Together with the Bishop of Tonga, Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi, he travelled from the other side of the world to receive his red hat and bring to his fellow cardinals the concerns of the young churches on the peripheries. These include the very real impact of global warming on the people of the pacific islands, the plague of human trafficking and care of migrants – all issues that echo with Pope Francis. However, in the two days of meetings ahead of Saturday’s celebration, he together with the 19 other new members of the College of Cardinals will be briefed on the pace of the reform of the Roman Curia. Cardinal-designate says Pope Francis’ choice of new cardinals not only reflects his reaching out to local churches but his desire to bring the voice of peripheral churches to the heart of the Vatican. In this context, he hopes the reform of the Curia will put greater emphasis on the need for people in positions of governance to have pastoral experience: “My particular hope…is the hope that those who work in the Curia have pastoral experience and know what it’s like to work in a diocese and work with people. That they have the opportunity to meet people who are very often struggling in life for one thing or another. I often think that people in the Curia don’t get this opportunity, you know they speak to other bishops day in day out. So where is their opportunity for real on the ground experience. So one hope is that people don’t spend too long in a particular office, but that they can go home to their diocese to be really aware of what people have to deal with in life”. Another hope of Cardinal-designate Dew is that some of the bureaucracy is ‘tightened up a bit’ so that it is ‘much more effective’ and maybe ‘not quite as costly’. (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis says the end goal of the reform of the Roman Curia is to harmonize work among the Vatican offices, to achieve a more effective collaboration and promote collegiality.
The Holy Father was speaking Thursday morning to the College of Cardinals at the opening session of the Extraordinary Consistory for the creation of new cardinals on Saturday.
The College of Cardinals gathers together the Pope’s closest collaborators in the governance of the Universal Church. Currently there are 207 members in the College, 110 of whom are Cardinal electors, that is, eligible to vote in conclave for a papal election.
The College is meeting in two closed sessions Thursday and Friday at the Synod Hall, where they will be briefed on progress in the reform of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, in the governance of the Church.
Opening the working session – which included the 20 prelates who will be created Cardinals on Saturday – Pope Francis spoke of the recently concluded Council of Nine, thanking the Council members for their work in overseeing the reform process.
He said that “the reform is not an end in itself, but a means to give a strong Christian witness; to promote a more effective evangelization; to promote a more fruitful ecumenical spirit; to encourage a more constructive dialogue with all”.
Pope Francis also pointed out that the reform of the Curia was strongly advocated by the majority of the Cardinals in the context of the general congregations before the conclave in which he was elected Pope.
The Holy Father warned the Cardinals that the goal of reform “it is not easy to achieve”, that it “requires time, determination and above all everyone’s cooperation”. He concluded that above all it demands prayer and openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Below please find a Vatican Radio Translation of the Holy Fathers address to the College of Cardinals.
Dear brothers,
“How good, how delightful it is to live as brothers all together!” ( Ps 133,1).
In the words of the Psalm we give praise to the Lord who has called us together and gives us the grace to welcome the 20 new cardinals in this session. To them and to all, I give my cordial greetings. Welcome to this communion, which is expressed in collegiality.
Thanks to all those who have prepared this event, especially to His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals. I thank the Commission of nine Cardinals and the coordinator, His Eminence Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga. I also thank His Excellency Marcello Semeraro, Secretary of the Commission of Nine Cardinals: Today he will present a summary of the work done in recent months to develop the new Apostolic Constitution for the reform of the Curia. As we know, this summary has been prepared on the basis of many suggestions, even those made by the heads of the Dicasteries, as well as experts in the field.
The goal to be reached is always that of promoting greater harmony in the work of the various Dicasteries and Offices, in order to achieve a more effective collaboration in that absolute transparency which builds authentic sinodality and collegiality.
The reform is not an end in itself, but a means to give a strong Christian witness; to promote a more effective evangelization; to promote a more fruitful ecumenical spirit; to encourage a more constructive dialogue with all.
The reform, strongly advocated by the majority of the Cardinals in the context of the general congregations before the conclave, will further perfect the identity of the same Roman Curia, which is to assist the Successor of Peter in the exercise of his supreme pastoral office for the good of and in the service of the universal Church and the particular Churches. This exercise serves to strengthen the unity of faith and communion of the people of God and promote the mission of the Church in the world.
Certainly, it is not easy to achieve such a goal: it requires time, determination and above all everyone’s cooperation. But to achieve this we must first entrust ourselves to the Holy Spirit, the true guide of the Church, imploring the gift of authentic discernment in prayer.
It is in this spirit of collaboration that our meeting begins, which will be fruitful thanks to the contribution which each of us can express with parrhesía, fidelity to the Magisterium and the knowledge that all of this contributes to the supreme law, that being the salus animarum . Thank You.
(from Vatican Radio)…