VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
First, three days of work with the “G8” of Cardinals, then two days of debate on family and the pastoral care of marriages
ANDREA TORNIELLI
VATICAN CITY
The turbulent week of reforms begins on Monday: eight counsellor cardinals are to meet with the Pope from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 February, coordinated by Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga. The order of the day includes the first concrete proposals for the future organisation of the Vatican Congregations and the Secretary of State – topics already discussed at previous meetings – but also the beginning of a long and arduous examination of the Pontifical Councils.
General feeling is that there are too many Pontifical Councils – institutions of the Holy See that have no jurisdiction over the Congregations – and many already expect to be downsized or integrated. A number of councils may be absorbed by the new Congregation for laics, while is has also been proposed to merge the Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation with the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Either of these is possible and, although for now only hypothetical moves, would have numerous consequences for the redistribution of responsibility. In the case of the New Evangelisation, for example, its responsibilities would be reassigned to the Catechesi (once entrusted to the Congregation for the Clergy). In other words, there’s a lot of work to be done, as there are many reforms to be assessed and proposed to the Pope.
Another topic that will be addressed at the next meeting of the “G8” of cardinals, selected by Pope Francis as his councillors, is that of the finances. Proposals include the unification of the economic-financial institutions of the Holy See under a single department, a sort of “Ministry of Finance”.
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