The Italian canon lawyer Donata Horak has called for a representative proportion of women in all advisory bodies of the Catholic Church. At a theological forum of the Synod on Synodality in Rome on Wednesday evening, she explained that canon law already stipulates that the composition of advisory bodies should reflect the composition of the Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Council of Cardinals’
Yes-no: Despite papal denial, women’s diaconate talks persist
Monday, July 22nd, 2024
The women’s diaconate is a discussion that won’t go away. Pope Francis consistently says “no” when asked if women can be deacons or join the Catholic clergy. But Francis supports discussion about the women’s diaconate. This October’s synod working document affirms “theological reflection should continue”. Since last December the Pope and his Council of Cardinal Read more
Female Anglican bishop addresses Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals
Thursday, February 8th, 2024A female Anglican bishop who has campaigned for “gender equality” addressed the Council of Cardinals on Monday as part of a session dedicated to deepening a reflection “on the role of women in the Church.” Rev Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary general of the Anglican Communion, was one of the first generation of women to Read more
Pope makes two major appointments
Monday, October 19th, 2020Pope Francis has made two major appointments at the Curia. He selected Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of Kinshasa to be a member of the Council of Cardinals. Bishop Marcello Semararo of Albano was appointed the new prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Cardinal Besungu takes the place of his predecessor in the Read more
Curia reform focus is on mission, not doctrine
Monday, July 1st, 2019
The Vatican’s progress report on the future constitution governing the Roman Curia is “An intense work of consultation and mutual listening”. Doctrine alone is no longer enough to reach an increasingly post-Christian world, says Bishop Marcello Semeraro, Secretary of the Council of Cardinals. He points out that a “fundamental perspective” of Pope Francis’s reform efforts Read more
Vatican says three cardinals leaving C9 won’t be replaced
Thursday, December 13th, 2018
Pope Francis has released three cardinals from the C9 – his Council of Cardinals. Members of the Council (known as the C9 because there are nine cardinals making up the papal advisory group) advise the pope on Church governance and reform. Its work places a special emphasis on the reform of Pastor Bonus, the apostolic Read more
More youth, women needed in Curia say cardinals
Monday, September 18th, 2017The Pope’s Council of Cardinals says the Roman Curia needs to be more international and include more young people and women. Commonly referred to as the “C9,” the group was established by Pope Francis after his election as Bishop of Rome in 2013 to advise him in matters of Church governance and reform. Read more
Vatican reform nears completion
Thursday, September 14th, 2017
Major Vatican reform is almost finished says Secretary of the Pope’s international Council of Cardinals, Bishop Marcello Semeraro. Adding, the work is “nearly complete at the level of proposals made to the Pope. “I think that within a few months this revision will be more or less complete. “Then the Pope will have at his disposition Read more
Some Vatican offices may be decentralised
Monday, June 19th, 2017
Decentralising some Vatican offices as part of a number of Curia reforms is on the cards, communications from Pope Francis and the Council of Cardinals suggested after they met last week. This would mean transferring some offices from the Vatican to local bishops or episcopal conferences “in a spirit of healthy decentralization.” The Council said Read more
Cardinals present plans for Family and Justice dicasteries
Friday, February 12th, 2016Pope Francis’s council of nine cardinals has formally presented the Pontiff with their final proposals to set up two major new offices in the Roman Curia. The two new Vatican offices proposed are “Laity, Family and Life” and “Justice, Peace and Migration”. Pope Francis will make the final decision on these proposals. The cardinals are Read more