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Catholic World News News Feature

Vatican leaders, Pope to huddle on key decisions April 06, 2006

Pope Benedict XVI will hold a second meeting with leaders of the Roman Curia on April 7, amid rumors that major changes may be pending at the Vatican.

The Friday-morning meeting, which will be held in the Bologna room, is the second such meeting of the Pope with his key aides. At the first meeting, on February 13, the topics reportedly included a plan to allow broader use of the Latin Mass. Those closed-door discussions were to be continued at the April 7 meeting.

In the days leading up to the meeting with dicastery heads, Pope Benedict met privately with several leaders of the Roman Curia. On April 6, for instance, he conferred with Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, the prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches; with Cardinal Renato Martino, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; with Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Vatican archivist; and with Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, the secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops.

The Holy Father has also conferred recently with Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, the prefect of the Congregation for Clergy. Cardinal Castrillon has been the focal point of talks between the Vatican and the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). At the February meeting of Vatican officials, he reportedly presented a proposal for reconciling the SSPX with the Holy See.

Although the Vatican has not confirmed the topics that were discussed on the February 13 meeting, nor the items on the agenda for the Friday-morning session, numerous leaks from sources in Rome indicate that the proposed offer to the Lefebvrist group-- and a wider plan to appeal to traditionalist Catholics in general-- was the leading topic. The same issue was also discussed, sources said, when the Pope gathered the College of Cardinals for a day of reflection on March 23.

The Holy See has shown a clear desire to repair ties with the SSPX, with negotiations continuing regularly since 2000. According to reports now circulating in the Italian press, Pope Benedict will soon sign (or, according to some reports, has already signed) a motu proprio allowing much wider use of the pre-conciliar liturgy, using the 1962 Missal. Such a move would fulfill one of the key demands made by SSPX leaders.

However, the SSPX seems unlikely to accept a proposal to restore full ties with the Vatican, because of sharp remaining differences over certain teachings of Vatican II, particularly on the issues of ecumenism and religious freedom. Bishop Bernard Fellay, the superior of the Lefebvrist group, recently remarked that the restoration of worldwide use of the Latin Mass would be a "first step" in a longer process of restoring confidence among traditionalists.

Relations with traditionalist Catholics are probably not the only issue on the agenda for the April 7 meeting. In his March 23 address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Benedict asked for the prelates' advice on how to expand the pastoral activity of retired bishops, how to confront the challenge of militant Islam, and how to increase the effectiveness of the Roman Curia. Pope Benedict has made only a few significant changes in the leadership of the Curia during his first year as Pontiff. There is a widespread expectation that he will soon make several key appointments to the Vatican leadership, and perhaps announce an overhaul of the structure of several curial agencies.

During his April 7 meeting with dicastery leaders, Pope Benedict will be gathering opinions and taking advice. He is free to act upon that advice, or not, at his own schedule. Thus, although major changes could be coming, there is no certainty that any significant announcement will be made on Friday.