I dispose that all that is established herein have immediate, full and
permanent value, abrogating any incompatible measures, and that the present
Apostolic Letter issued Motu proprio be published in the Osservatore Romano of
24 February 2014 and
subsequently in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.
Given in Rome, St. Peter's, on 24 February of the year 2014, the first of
my Pontificate.”
NEW COORDINATION STRUCTURE FOR THE ECONOMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS OF
THE HOLY SEE AND VATICAN CITY STATE
Subject: VISnews140224
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
Vatican City, 24 February 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has decided to
establish a new structure for the coordination of the economic and
administrative matters of the Holy See and Vatican City State, according to a
communique issued today by
the Holy See Press Office, the full text of which is published below:
“The Holy Father today announced a new coordination structure for
economic and administrative affairs of the Holy See and the Vatican State.
Today's announcement comes after the recommendations of the rigorous review
conducted by the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organization of
the Economic- Administrative Structure of the Holy See (COSEA) were considered
and endorsed by
both the Council of 8 Cardinals established to advise the Holy Father on
governance and the Committee of 15 Cardinals which oversees the financial
affairs of the Holy See.
COSEA recommended changes to simplify and consolidate existing management
structures and improve coordination and oversight across the Holy See and
Vatican City State. COSEA also recommended more formal commitment to adopting
accounting standards and
generally accepted financial management and reporting practices as well as
enhanced internal controls, transparency and governance.
The changes will enable more formal involvement of senior and experienced
experts in financial administration, planning and reporting and will ensure
better use of resources, improving the support available for various programs,
particularly our
works with the poor and marginalized.
The changes announced by the Holy Father include:
1. Establishment of a new Secretariat for the Economy which will have
authority over all economic and administrative activities within the Holy See
and the Vatican City State. The Secretariat will be responsible, among other
things, for preparing an
annual budget for the Holy See and Vatican City State as well as financial
planning and various support functions such as human resources and
procurement. The Secretariat will also be required to prepare detailed
financial statements of the Holy See and
Vatican State.
2. The Secretariat for the Economy will implement policies determined by a
new Council for the Economy - a 15 member Council composed of 8 Cardinals or
Bishops, reflecting various parts of the world and seven lay experts of
different nationalities
with strong professional financial experience. The Council will meet on a
regular basis and to consider policies and practices and to prepare and
analyse reports on the economic-administrative activities of the Holy See.
3. The Secretariat for the Economy will be headed by a Cardinal Prefect
reporting to the Council for the Economy. He will be supported by a
Secretary-General in the management of day to day activities.
4. The Holy Father has appointed Cardinal Pell, the current archbishop of
Sydney, Australia, to the role of Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy.
Details of Cardinal Pell are attached.
5. New arrangements also include the appointment of an Auditor-General,
appointed by the Holy Father who will be empowered to conduct audits of any
agency of the Holy See and Vatican City State at any time.
6. The changes will confirm the role of APSA as the central bank of the
Vatican with all the obligations and responsibilities of similar institutions
around the world.
7. The AIF will continue to undertake its current and critical role of
prudential supervision and regulation of activities within the Holy See and
Vatican City State.
The Prefect of the new Secretariat for the Economy has been asked to start
work as soon as possible. He will prepare the final statutes and other related
matters with the assistance of any necessary advisers and will work with COSEA
to complete the
implementation of these changes approved by the Holy Father.”
___________________________________________________________
RECONSTRUCTION AND RECONCILIATION: KEY THEMES OF THE AUDIENCE WITH THE
PRESIDENT OF HAITI
Vatican City, 24 February 2014 (VIS) – This morning, in the Vatican
Apostolic Palace, the president of the Republic of Haiti, Michael Joseph
Martelly, was received in audience by Pope Francis. He subsequently went on to
meet with Cardinal
Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Archbishop Dominique
Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.
During the cordial discussions, satisfaction was expressed for the good
relations between Haiti and the Holy See, and the Parties focused in
particular on the precious contribution made by the Church in the country,
especially in the fields of
education and healthcare, as well as in charitable sectors.
Mention was also made of the importance of continuing efforts for the
rebuilding of the country, and for promoting sincere dialogue between various
institutions for reconciliation and the common good, both domestically and at
an international
level.
___________________________________________________________
THE POPE TO NEW CARDINALS: BE BRINGERS OF CHARITY, YOU ARE ENTERING THE
CHURCH OF ROME, NOT A COURT
Vatican City, 23 February 2014 (VIS) – “By his creative and
renewing power, the Spirit always sustains the hope of God’s People as
we make our pilgrim way through history, and ... he always supports the
witness of Christians”,
said Pope Francis to the cardinals created in yesterday's consistory, who
concelebrated Holy Mass with him in St. Peter's Basilica this morning.
The Holy Father commented in his homily that this Sunday's readings in
which Jesus calls for holiness are addressed to all of us, but in particular
to the new cardinals: “Imitating the holiness and perfection of God
might seem an unattainable
goal. Yet, the first reading and the Gospel offer us concrete examples which
enable God’s way of acting to become the norm for our own. … In
the Gospel Jesus also speaks to us of holiness, and explains to us the new
law, his law. He does
this by contrasting the imperfect justice of the scribes and Pharisees with
the higher justice of the Kingdom of God. The first contrast of today’s
passage refers to revenge. 'You have heard that it was said, “An eye for
an eye and a tooth
for a tooth”. But I say to you … if anyone should strike you on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also'. We are required not only to
avoid repaying others the evil they have done to us, but also to seek
generously to do good to them”.
“The second contrast refers to our enemies: 'You have heard that it
was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy”. But
I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'. Jesus
asks those who would
follow him to love those who do not deserve it, without expecting anything in
return, and in this way to fill the emptiness present in human hearts,
relationships, families, communities and in the entire world. My brother
Cardinals, Jesus did not come
to teach us good manners, how to behave well at the table! To do that, he
would not have had to come down from heaven and die on the Cross. Christ came
to save us, to show us the way, the only way out of the quicksand of sin, and
this way of holiness is
mercy, that mercy which he has shown, and daily continues to show, to us. To
be a saint is not a luxury. It is necessary for the salvation of the world.
This is what the Lord is asking of us”.
“Dear brother Cardinals”, continued the Pope, “the Lord
Jesus and mother Church ask us to witness with greater zeal and ardour to
these ways of being holy. It is exactly in this greater self-gift, freely
offered, that the holiness
of a Cardinal consists. We love, therefore, those who are hostile to us; we
bless those who speak ill of us ... We do not aim to assert ourselves; we
oppose arrogance with meekness; we forget the humiliations that we have
endured. May we always allow
ourselves to be guided by the Spirit of Christ, who sacrificed himself on the
Cross so that we could be 'channels' through which his charity might flow.
This is the attitude of a Cardinal, this must be how he acts. A Cardinal
– I say this
especially to you – enters the Church of Rome, my brothers, not a royal
court. May all of us avoid, and help others to avoid, habits and ways of
acting typical of a court: intrigue, gossip, cliques, favouritism and
partiality.
May our language be that of the Gospel: 'yes when we mean yes; no when we mean
no'; may our attitudes be those of the Beatitudes, and our way be that of
holiness. Let US pray once more: “Merciful Father, by your help, may we
be ever attentive to
the voice of the Spirit”.
“The Holy Spirit also speaks to us today through the words of Saint
Paul: 'You are God’s temple … God’s temple is holy, and
that temple you are'. ... This temple of ours is defiled if we neglect our
duties towards our
neighbour. Whenever the least of our brothers and sisters finds a place in our
hearts, it is God himself who finds a place there. ... A heart without love is
like a deconsecrated church, a building withdrawn from God’s service and
given over to
another use”.
Pope Francis concluded his homily by asking the cardinals to remain close
to him “with your prayers, your advice and your help … in order
to serve the Gospel and to help the Church radiate Christ’s love in our
world”.
___________________________________________________________
POPE FRANCIS: PRAY FOR THE PASTORS OF THE CHURCH TO BE GOOD SERVANTS, NOT
GOOD MASTERS
Vatican City, 23 February 2014 (VIS) – At midday, after celebrating
Holy Mass with the new cardinals in the Vatican basilica, the Pope appeared at
the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St.
Peter's Square.
The Bishop of Rome commented on the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians,
a community divided into various groups who referred to different preachers,
whom they considered their chiefs. Paul explained that this way of thinking
was mistaken, as the
community did not belong to the apostles, but rather they, the apostles,
belonged to the entire community of Christ.
“From this origin, derive all Christian communities”, continued
Pope Francis:”dioceses, parishes, associations, movements ... the
differences cannot contradict the fact that everyone, by Baptism, has the same
dignity: in Jesus
Christ we are all children of God. … Those who have received the
ministry of guiding, of preaching, of administering the Sacraments, must not
consider themselves as having special powers, as masters, but must place
themselves at the service of
the community, helping it to walk the path of holiness with joy”.
"The Church today entrusts the witness of this style of pastoral life to
the new cardinals, with whom I have celebrated the Holy Mass this morning.
Yesterday's consistory and today's Eucharistic celebration have given us a
valuable opportunity to
experience Catholicity, the Church's universality, well represented by the
varied backgrounds of the members of the College of Cardinals gathered in
close communion around Peter's Successor. May the Lord give us the grace to
work for the unity of the
Church, and to build this unity, for unity is more important than conflicts.
Unity is Christ's; conflicts are problems that are not always Ch
ist's”.
“I invite you to support these pastors and to help them with prayer
… How in need of your prayers are the Pope, cardinals, and bishops, to
help the People of God advance along their path. I say 'to help', or rather to
serve the People,
for this is the true vocation of the bishop, the cardinal and the Pope: to be
servants, to serve in Christ's name. Pray for us, so that we might be good
servants, not good masters. All together, bishops, priests, consecrated
persons and lay faithful; we
must all offer the witness of a Church faithful to Christ, inspired by the
wish to serve our brothers and ready to meet with prophetic courage the
expectations and the spiritual needs of the men and women of our time. May Our
Lady accompany us and
protect us in this journey”.
___________________________________________________________
AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 24 February 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father
received in audience ten prelates of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, on
their “ad limina” visit:
- Archbishop Francisco Gil Hellin of Burgos;
- Bishop Mario Iceta Gavicagogeascoa of Bilbao;
- Bishop Gerardo Melgar Viciosa of Osma-Soria;
- Bishop Esteban Escudero Torres of Palencia;
- Bishop Miguel Jose Asurmendi Aramendia, S.D.B., of Vitoria;
- Archbishop Francisco Perez Gonzalez of Pamplona y Tudela, with his
auxiliary, Bishop Juan Antonio Aznarez Cobo;
- Bishop Juan Jose Omella Omella of Calahorra y la Calzada-Logrono;
- Bishop Julian Ruiz Martorell of Jaca;
- Bishop Jose Ignacio Munilla Aguirre of San Sebastian.
___________________________________________________________
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 24 February 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed
Fr. Reynaldo B. Getalado, M.S.P., as ecclesiastical Superior of the
“Missio sui iuris” of Funafuti (area 26, population 9, 359,
Catholics 117, priests 1, religious
1), Tuvalu. Fr. Getalado was born in Muntinlupa City, Philippines in 1959 and
was ordained a priest in 1988. He has served as a missionary in Daru-Kiunga,
Papua New Guinea, and Auckland, New Zealand, and as vicar of the parish of
Mandaluyong City, in
the Philippines. He is currently a missionary in the diocese of Bougainville
in Papua New Guinea.
___________________________________________________________
Per ulteriori informazioni e per la ricerca di documenti consultare il
sito: www.wisnews.org e www.vatican.va
Il servizio
del VIS viene inviato soltanto agli indirizzi di posta
elettronica che
ne hanno
fatto richiesta. Se per qualunque motivo
non si desidera continuare a
riceverlo, si prega di visitare nostra pagina
dinizio:
http://212.77.1.245/news_services/press/v
s/italinde.php
Copyright (VIS): Le notizie contenute nei servizi del Vatican
Information Service possono essere riprodotte parzialmente o totalmente
citando la fonte: V.I.S. - Vatican Information Service.
