Pope Francis I’s weekend announcement of a new council, the Group of Eight (G8), to advise him on Catholic Church governance and reforming the Church’s central administration (the Roman Curia) has been called the “most important step in the history of the church for the past 10 centuries” by Church historian Alberto Melloni.
The group includes Australian cardinal George Pell, who effectively represents Oceania in its concerns. These concerns could include our distance from decision-making in Rome, the appointment of bishops, and the understanding of our region. More general concerns for the G8 may include making the central administration more efficient, improving social communications, and recruiting more professional lay people, including women.
The decision to create the new advisory group seems a positive move to address the various scandals that have gripped the Vatican. Yet, the G8 has larger implications. It is formed in the context of a long-running debate about collegiality amongst the bishops and emerges from discussions that occurred before the recent conclave that elected Pope Francis.
“Collegiality” is a term used by Catholics to refer to the shared responsibility for the care of the Church that is held by the College of Bishops, with the pope (who is bishop of Rome) as head. Much debate over collegiality centres on the balance of power, responsibility and cooperation, particularly amongst the pope and the bishops.
While there have been some forums designed to promote collegiality since the Second Vatican Council, some bishops have been reported as feeling somewhat marginalised as power has been centralised. Nevertheless, for the bishops themselves, collegiality not only concerns power and identity, but more importantly, the mission of the Church: that the members of Church (especially the leadership) are working together – not at cross-purposes – to advance the cause of Christianity in the world. Continue reading
Sources
- Joel Hodge in The Conversation
- Image: Vassallomalta
Joel Hodge is a lecturer in theology at Australian Catholic University.