Vatican journalist: Pope Francis planning 'collegial' reform on his own
September 16, 2013
Although proponents of Vatican reform usually speak of a more “collegial” approach to Church governance, Pope Francis has shown a tendency to act on his own, even ignoring existing rules, notes a Vatican journalist.
Andrea Gagliarducci notes that during his first 6 months in office, Pope Francis has appointed several new committees, acting on his own. He has named a new Secretary of State who is not a cardinal, although Pastor Bonus says that the office must be held by a cardinal, and ignored similar requirements in other appointments. Gagliarducci suggests that in this pontificate, “action lies outside the institution and takes place without observing or reforming the rules.”
Gagliarducci—who has written several recent articles defending the record of the outgoing Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone—also detects a papal tendency to downgrade the importance of the Secretariat of State and to strengthen the ties between the work of the Holy See and the pastoral activities of the Rome diocese.
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Further information:
- Pope Francis and the Upcoming Meeting with the G8 of the Church (Monday Vatican)
- Cardinal Bertone: a reformer as Secretary of State? (CWN, 9/10)
- Revealing comments from Vatican Secretaries of State, old and new (On the News, 9/12)
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Posted by: polish.pinecone4371 -
Sep. 17, 2013 10:20 AM ET USA
Planning collegial reform on his own seems rather uncollegial, if you ask me.
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Posted by: chady -
Sep. 17, 2013 4:43 AM ET USA
A Catholic website suggested recently that we begin the habit of saying the three hail Mary's daily for Pope Francis to enable him to guide the Church effectively, continue the necessary reforms and for his own spiritual journey as well. Here is a Pope who reminds us that our prayers are necessary for his ministry as the Bishop of Rome and Head of the Catholic Church.
