Monday, February 17, 2014

Cardinal consultors back in Rome

This morning at the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, the third meeting of the Council of Cardinals with the Holy Father began.  This Council was created on April 13 last year and was confirmed by the Chirograph dated September 28, and is intended to help the Holy Father to govern the Universal Church and to study possible revisions to the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus on the subject of the Roman Curia.

When this morning's meeting was completed, the Vatican spokesman, Father Frederico Lombardi, SJ held a briefing to update journalists about the most recent gathering.  In addition to the members of the Council of Cardinals, the Holy Father and the Secretary of State, His Eminence, Pietro Parolin were also present.

This morning's meeting was dedicated in major part to examining the responsibilities of the Pontifical Commission responsible for the Organization of the economic and administrative aspects of the Holy See, represented by the Commission's president, Doctor Joseph F.X. Zahra, its secretary, Monsignor Lucio Ángel Vallejo Balda and by Doctor Jochen Messemer.  These members of the Commission reported on the work accomplished thus far in fulfillment of the mandate given by the Holy Father.

This afternoon, the Council of Cardinals was to continue its reflections, in company with the Holy Father and the Secretary of State.

Tomorrow morning, it is anticipated that the Council of Cardinals will examine the work of the other Commission, responsible for the oversight of the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR).  On Wednesday morning, the Holy Father will not be present at the meetings of the Council, since he will be at the General Audience.

On Wednesday afternoon, there will be a meeting with the Cardinals who are members of the Council for the Study of Organizational and Economic problems facing the Holy See (the so-called Council of 15), who will already be in Rome in anticipation of the Extraordinary Consitory which will take place on the following day.


Regarding the Extraordinary Consistory scheduled for February 20-21, it will begin on Thursday morning at 8:30 local time in the New Synod Hall with the recitation of mid-morning prayer (the Liturgical Hour of Terce), greetings offered to the Holy Father on behalf of the Cardinals by the Cardinal Dean and an address by the Holy Father himself.  This will be followed by introductory remarks spoken by Cardinal Walter Kasper focusing on the Gospel of the Family.

The rest of the time will be devoted to interventions from the participants at the Consistory of Cardinals focusing on the theme of the Family, as was previously indicated by the Holy Father.  The meetings will take place on both days from 9:30am to 12:30pm and from 4:30pm to 7:00pm.

The Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals will take place in Saint Peter's Basilica on Saturday morning, beginning at 11:00am.  The Cardinals will all concelebrate Mass with the Holy Father on Sunday morning beginning at 10:30am.  On Monday and Tuesday, February 24 and 25 two further meetings will take place, with the Secretariat of the Synod and with the Council of 15.

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