Curia reform may increase Congregations, reduce Pontifical Councils

VATICAN CITY
Headlines from the Catholic World

Vatican City, Oct 30, 2013 / 12:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis’ reform of the Roman Curia is expected to produce a new document regulating the body, and to reduce the number of Pontifical Councils, while increasing the number of Congregations.

The group of eight cardinals advising Pope Francis on the reform and on the government of the Church will have their second meeting at the Vatican Dec. 3-5, following their Oct. 1-3 meeting.

“The cardinals are not thinking about an adjustment of Pastor Bonus; they are mostly thinking about sketching out a brand new pastoral constitution,” Fr. Federico Lombardi, Holy See press office director, said in a media briefing Oct. 2.

Pastor Bonus is the apostolic constitution issued by John Paul II in 1988 which regulates and defines charges, duties and composition of the offices of the Roman Curia.

Composing a new apostolic constitution is a tricky challenge: Pastor Bonus was finally issued after 16 years of studies and discussion. Nevertheless, the new apostolic constitution should re-design the Roman Curia.

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