Pope appoints Group of Eight Cardinals to advise on Curia reform
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has appointed a Group of Eight cardinals to advise him
in the governance of the Universal Church. In a communique issued Saturday the Secretariat
of State announced that the Holy Father decided to set up the Council following on
from discussions that emerged during the General Congregations in the lead up to the
Conclave which elected him the 265th Successor to St Peter.
The
group of Cardinals will be coordinated by Card. Oscar Andrés Maradiaga Rodríguez and
is drawn from across the Universal Church. It will also help Pope Francis revise
the Apostolic Consitution on the Roman Curia Pastor bonus.
The group
is composed of : Card. Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Governatorate of Vatican
City State; Card. Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, Archbishop emeritus of Santiago
del Cile (Chile); Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay (India); Card.
Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of München und Freising (Germany); Card. Laurent Monswengo
Pasinya, Archbishop of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo); Card. Sean Patrick
O’Malley. O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Boston (U.S.A.); Card. George Pell, Archbishop
of Sydney (Australia); Card. Oscar Andrés Maradiaga Rodríguez S.D.B., Archbishop
of Tegucigalpa (Honduras); Mons. Marcello Semeraro, Bishop of Albano, Council
secretary.
The first meeting of the Council will take place October 1-3, 2013.
Pope Francis however is already in contact with all of the above mentioned Cardinals.
Briefing
press Saturday the Holy See Press Office Director, Fr. Federico Lombardi, noted that
the communiqué comes exactly one month since Pope’ Francis election to the Pontificate
and shows that the Holy Father “listens attentively” to the suggestions of the College
of Cardinals – his closest collaborators.
He also noted that the Group will
have no legislative power and that its main function is to “help” and “advise” the
Pope. Fr. Lombardi added that the Group will not in any way interfere in the normal
functions of the Roman Curia, which helps the Pope in the daily governance of the
Church.