The creation of a new Vatican Congregation for the Laity appears to be a likely first step in the reform of the Roman Curia. Many are welcoming this as a recognition that the laity have just as important a role in the church as bishops, clergy and religious, each of which has a congregation dedicated Read more
Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Raymond Burke as Patron of the Order of Malta, in a move which leaves the US prelate out of the Roman Curia. Cardinal Burke, 66, was formerly the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the Church’s highest court. His role in the Order of Malta is largely a ceremonial one, without Read more
The first woman to be appointed to a Vatican congregation sees the move as a realisation of Pope Francis’s wish for more women in official Church positions. Sr Luzia Premoli, superior general of the Combonian Missionary Sisters, was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on September 13. She told the Read more
The reform of the Roman Curia is not a revolution, says one of the senior cardinals advising Pope Francis. Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, who co-ordinates the council of nine cardinals advising the Pope, said reform of the curia is a normal response to changing times. The current process may feel different because Pope Francis Read more
Speculation is mounting that the only American to currently head a dicastery in the Roman Curia is soon to be replaced. Writing for L’Espresso, Vatican journalist Sandro Mangister posited that the next “victim” of Pope Francis’s “revolution” will be the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, Cardinal Raymond Burke. The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura Read more
If you want to understand how Pope Francis is planning to change the Catholic church, then don’t waste time searching for clues in the charming, self-effacing press conference he gave on the plane back from South Korea on Monday. It’s easy to be misled by the Pope’s shoulder-shrugging interviews and impromptu phone calls. On his Read more
It was possibly a watershed moment in Holy See media relations. The scene was the Sala Stampa of the Holy See some 10 days ago. Australian Cardinal George Pell was presenting the New Economic Framework for the Holy See, a document which outlines proposed major reforms not only to IOR (the Vatican bank) and to Read more
Most of Asia’s bishops’ conferences have asked one of their Rome representatives why liturgical translations cannot be done at conference level. This request was put to Cardinal Oswald Gracias from India, who is a member of the so-called C8 council which is advising Pope Francis on reform of the Roman Curia. Cardinal Gracias and Honduran Read more
Pope Francis’s efforts to build a new way of “being Church” are facing increased opposition from within the Roman Curia, a leading cardinal says. Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga said this during an address to Franciscan provincials in Florida, according to the National Catholic Reporter. The cardinal said Pope Francis is seeking to build a Read more
Confirmation that Pope Francis intends a complete overhaul of the Roman Curia has been made official following the first meeting of the Council of Cardinals appointed to help the Pope govern the Church. The aim is to emphasise the Curia’s role of service to the universal Church and the local churches “in terms of subsidiarity, Read more