VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 030   
   DATE 12-02-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - The Extraordinary Consistory opens in a spirit of collaboration   
   - Reform of the Curia, at the centre of the Extraordinary Consistory   
   - Children: a gift from God that opens up the future   
   - Francis prays for the victims of the Lampedusa tragedy   
   - Eighth session of the Council of Cardinals   
   - Audiences   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Extraordinary Consistory opens in a spirit of collaboration   
    Vatican City, 12 February 2015 (VIS) - At 9 a.m. this morning, in the   
   Vatican's Synod Hall, the Extraordinary Consistory of the College of Cardinals   
   began, attended by the Holy Father and by those who will be created cardinals   
   in next Saturday's consistory. The works will take place over two days, today   
   and tomorrow, with sessions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.   
    Following the Terce prayer and greetings from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of   
   the College of Cardinals, the Holy Father Francis gave a brief address to   
   those present. "Welcome to this communion, expressed in collegiality", he   
   began, thanking the Comission of the nine cardinals and its coordinator,   
   Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga and the secretary, Bishop Marcello   
   Semeraro who presented a summary of the work carried out during these months   
   in drafting the new Apostolic Constitution on the reform of the Curia. This   
   summary, noted Pope Francis, "has been prepared on the basis of many   
   suggestions, also on the part of the heads and officers of the dicasteries,   
   alongside experts on the subject".   
    "The aim is always that of promoting greater harmony in the work of the   
   various dicasteries and offices, in order to achieve more effective   
   collaboration in that absolute transparency that edifies authentic synodality   
   and collegiality", he continued, commenting that "reform is not an end in   
   itself, but a way of giving strong Christian witness; to promote more   
   effective evangelisation; to promote a fruitful ecumenical spirit; and to   
   encourage a more constructive dialogue with all".   
    "Reform, strongly advocated by the majority of cardinals in the context of   
   the general congregations before the Conclave, must continue to enhance the   
   identity of the Roman Curia itself, that is, that of assisting Peter's   
   Successor in the exercise of his supreme pastoral office for the good and in   
   the service of the universal Church and the particular Churches, in order to   
   strengthen unity of faith and the communion of the people of God, and to   
   promote the mission of the Church in the world", continued the Pontiff.   
    "Certainly, reaching this objective is not easy: it requires time,   
   determination and, above all, the collaboration of all. But to achieve this we   
   must first of all trust in the Holy Spirit, Who is the true guide of the   
   Church, imploring in prayer the gift of authentic discernment", he concluded.   
   "With this spirit of collaboration our meeting begins; it will be fruitful   
   thanks to the contribution that each one of us is able to express with   
   parrhesia, fidelity to the Magisterium and the awareness that all this   
   contributes to the supreme law, that is, the 'salus animarum'. Thank you".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Reform of the Curia, at the centre of the Extraordinary Consistory   
    Vatican City, 12 February 2015 (VIS) - A total of 165 cardinals participated   
   in this morning's first session of the Extraordinary Consistory with the Holy   
   Father. Twenty-five were unable to attend due to illness or other serious   
   problems, according to a report from the director of the Holy See Press   
   Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., following the morning meeting.   
    Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga explained that the meeting of the   
   Council of Cardinals (the so-called "C9") which came to an end yesterday   
   afternoon, focused primarily but not exclusively on the reform of the Curia;   
   other themes addressed were the regulation of the Synod, the work of the   
   Commission for the Protection of Minors, and relations with the economic   
   entities of the Holy See (COSEA and IOR).   
    Bishop Marcello Semeraro, secretary of the C9, presented the main lines of   
   reform of the Roman Curia, in the light of the meeting of heads of the   
   dicasteries that took place in November 2014. The issues to be considered are   
   the functions of the Roman Curia, its relationship with other entities such as   
   the episcopal conferences, the criteria for rationalisation and simplification   
   that must guide it in its tasks, the Secretariat of State, the coordination of   
   the dicasteries of the Curia, the relationship between religious and   
   laypersons and the procedures that must govern the preparation of the new   
   constitution.   
    Reference was also made to the institution of two congregations. The first   
   would encompass those organisms that until now have been concerned with the   
   laity, the family and life. The second would deal with matters linked to   
   charity, justice and peace. The collaboration of the Pontifical Councils and   
   Academies dedicated to these themes could be strengthened.   
    Twelve prelates intervened during the morning session, observed Fr. Lombardi:   
   mainly cardinals who have a profound knowledge of the workings of the Curia,   
   although there have been contributions from a diverse range of contexts. It   
   has been observed that reform is twofold, theological and juridical, and many   
   of its assumptions relate to canon law and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, as   
   well as relationships with the episcopates. It was also noted that the Pope is   
   assisted not only by the Curia, but also by the College of Cardinals and the   
   Synod of Bishops. In this regard, the themes of synodality and collegiality   
   were discussed, and preference was expressed for the latter denomination   
   rather than the former.   
    The issue of the ongoing training of staff of the Roman Curia was not   
   overlooked, and consideration was given to the possibility of a rotation of   
   duties to counteract routine. In this sector, both favourable and contrary   
   opinions were expressed by the cardinals, who emphasised that some fields   
   require a high level of specialisation and that for this reason, change would   
   be inadvisable.   
      
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    Children: a gift from God that opens up the future   
    Vatican City, 12 February 2015 (VIS) - The Pope held this Wednesday's general   
   audience in St. Peter's Square. In his catechesis, the Holy Father continued   
   his reflections on the family, referring on this occasion to children as a   
   gift from God to their parents and to society as a whole. "There is a close   
   link between the hope of a people and harmony between the generations", he   
   said. "The joy of children makes their parents' hearts leap and opens up the   
   future. Children are the joy of the family and of society. They are not a   
   matter of reproductive biology, or one of the many ways of producing them,   
   much less their parents' possession. Children are a gift. They are a gift.   
   Each one is unique and unrepeatable, and at the same time unmistakably linked   
   to his or her roots. Indeed, to be a son or a daughter according to God's   
   plan, means carrying in oneself the memory and hope of a love that has become   
   tangible by kindling the life of another human being, original and new. And   
   for parents each child is him- or herself, different, unique".   
    Francis emphasised the gratuitous dimension of the love that we receive as   
   sons and daughters: "children are loved before they are born. I often   
   encounter expectant mothers in the square who ask me to bless their unborn   
   babies. These children are loved before they come into the world. This is   
   gratuitousness, this is love; they are loved before they are born, like the   
   love of God, Who always loves us first. They are loved before having done   
   anything to deserve it, before being able to speak or to think, even before   
   being able to come into the world. To be sons and daughters is the fundamental   
   condition for knowing God's love, which is the ultimate source of this   
   authentic miracle. In the soul of every child, although vulnerable, God places   
   the seal of this love, which is the basis of his or her personal dignity, a   
   dignity that nothing and no-one can destroy".   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)