Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See Press Office, has reiterated that Pope Francis and the Council of Cardinals are continuing to discuss curial reform.
During a briefing held this afternoon in the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican spokesman informed journalists about the 25th Session of the «Council of Cardinals,» often called the «C9,» which began Monday and ends this afternoon in the Vatican.
All the members of the Council were present except Cardinal Pell. Director Burke noted that the Pope participated in all, but this morning’s meeting, due to his weekly General Audience.
The working sessions were held in the morning from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and in the afternoon, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and were dedicated to further considerations on several dicasteries of the Curia.
According to the statement released by the Holy See Press Office, they dedicated much of the work to the re-reading of the draft of the new Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Curia, which now has been given the provisional title Praedicate Evangelium.
The Council of Cardinals has a first draft of the text ready to deliver to the Holy Father for the changes that he could retain to be necessary, useful or necessary.
This time, the Vatican spokesman stressed, the cardinal members considered various parts of the Curia reform that have come to be over the five years since the instituting of the Council, which they put together in a summary.
In Cardinal Pell’s absence, Msgr Brian Ferme, Secretary of the Council for the Economy, presented the reform of the financial-organizational structures of the Holy See and Governorate. Moreover, beyond illustrating the objectives and fundamental principles, including transparency, avoiding waste, following principles of double controls and international standards.
Some positive developments reached, he said, include: a uniform procedure for statements, a greater attention to the expenses, a greater cooperation and understanding of the financial reform, and a gradual change of mentality around the concepts of transparency and accountability.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Greg Burke noted, updated the participants in the Council about the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the efforts that are being made worldwide for the protection of children and vulnerable adults.
This 25th Session of the Council of Cardinals marked the third council of 2018, and their next meeting is scheduled for September 10-12, 2018.
