VATICAN CITY
John Thavis
On Wednesday, we saw another sign that there’s a new “normal” at the Vatican these days.
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis has confirmed two top Roman Curia department heads in their current jobs: Cardinal Leonardo Sandri as prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches and Cardinal Kurt Koch as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Journalists weren’t quite sure what that meant. Were they confirmed for new five-year terms? Or for the time being – until Pope Francis’ Curia reform is introduced? Or “until otherwise provided,” to use the classic term of Vatican vagueness?
They asked the Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi. He didn’t know either, at least not right away.
One wonders whether the two cardinals have a clear idea of their new mandate.
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