April 30, 2014: The Council of Cardinals met in the Vatican on Monday for the first
session of its fourth meeting.The meetings continued also on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Pope Francis participated most of the time, except when he had other commitments of
particular importance, such as the audiences with the King and Queen of Spain on Monday
morning; with the President of Paraguay on Tuesday morning and the general audience
on Wednesday morning. But Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin participated
regularly. The Council of the so-called C-8 – Council of 8 Cardinals, was instituted
by Pope Francis to help him in the governance of the universal Church and to draw
up a project for the revision of the apostolic constitution “Pastor Bonus” on the
Roman Curia. On Monday afternoon, the Council heard a report from the president
of the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the Economic-Administrative
Structures of the Holy See (COSEA), Joseph F.X. Zahra, regarding some sectors of
activities studied by the Commission. Following its review in previous Meetings
of the Congregations of the Roman Curia, the Council is now focusing on the Pontifical
Councils, first in terms of general considerations, followed by an individual appraisal
of each one. The Council is expected to complete a first report of its considerations
regarding the Pontifical Councils during this meeting. The next meeting of the Council
of Cardinals is scheduled for July.