(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday met for the third time with the 8-member
Council of Cardinals to discuss the proposed reforms of the Roman Curia. The meeting
will last until Thursday. The first meeting took place in October ,the second on Tuesday.
In
a press briefing, the head of the Holy See Press Office Father Federico Lombardi,
SJ, stated that the Cardinals have continued in the discussions as foreseen, with
a meeting on Tuesday afternoon in the presence of the Holy Father, and one on Wednesday
morning that the Pope did not attend because he was holding the General Audience.
Describing
the atmosphere as cordial and open-minded, Father Lombardi said the Cardinals are
focussing on the various Dicasteries of the Curia, tackling the various issues “one
after the other, without a criteria of priority or for any particular motive”. Thus,
they have started talking about the Congregations, and then they will be focussing
on Pontifical Councils and on other Dicasteries.
Father Lombardi revealed that
amongst the issues the Cardinals have talked about are the causes for Saints, Catholic
education and evangelization of peoples. The work is proceeding rapidly, and tomorrow
– he said – “I will be able to tell you if they have concluded their argumentations
on the Congregations”.
Adjourning the briefing to Thursday, Father Lombardi
concluded with the information that the Vatican Financial Intelligence Unit on Wednesday
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with its German counterpart, the "Zentralstelle
für Verdachtsmeldungen at the Bundeskriminalamt".
He explained that the Memorandum
is standard practice and formalizes the cooperation and exchange of financial information
to fight money laundering and terrorist financing across borders between the competent
authorities of both countries.