2016-04-13 16:44:00

Council of Cardinals concludes meetings in Vatican


(Vatican Radio) The Council of Cardinals concluded three days of meetings on Wednesday. All of the members of the Council were present, with the exception of Cardinal Oswald Gracias, who was impeded by health reasons.

Apart from the Wednesday morning session, which took place during the customary General Audience, Pope Francis himself participated in all of the meetings of the Council.

In a press briefing on the meetings, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, said Cardinals’ discussion focused largely on final considerations concerning the various Dicasteries (departments) of the Roman Curia, in view of a new Apostolic Constitution.

In particular, the Cardinals re-read, and entrusted to the Holy Father, several texts relating to the proposal to create to new Dicasteries, dedicated to “Laity, Family, and Life” and to “Justice, Peace, and Migration.”

Father Lombardi said the Cardinals also took up several other topics in their discussion. In particular, the Council considered criteria for gathering information for the nomination of new bishops, in light of their identity and pastoral mission. They also discussed the significance and role of Nuncios.  

Additionally, the Council heard from two of their own members. Cardinal George Pell updated his colleagues on the work of the Secretariat for the Economy, while Cardinal Sean O’Malley discussed the activities of the Pontifical Council for the Protection of Minors.

The final day of the Council’s work, Father Lombardi said, was dedicated to organizing the results of the foregoing discussion, in order to craft a comprehensive proposal from the Council to the Pope, in view of a new Constitution for the Roman Curia.

The Council is expected to meet three more times this year: 6-8 June; 12-14 September; and  12-14 December.








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