VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 031   
   DATE 13-02-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Extraordinary Consistory: reform will strengthen the credibility of the   
   Church   
   - Press release from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue   
   - Notice   
      
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    Extraordinary Consistory: reform will strengthen the credibility of the Church   
    Vatican City, 13 February 2015 (VIS) - The Extraordinary Consistory of the   
   College of Cardinals with Pope Francis did not complete its work this morning   
   as expected. The meeting will continue during the afternoon, with an update on   
   the work of the Commission for the Protection of Minors by its president,   
   Cardinal Sean O'Malley, explained the director of the Holy See Press Office,   
   Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., during a press conference today.   
    Yesterday, Thursday, the meeting continued in a serene and constructive   
   atmosphere, with interventions by a further 28 cardinals who offered different   
   perspectives on the reform of the Curia, focusing on the relationship between   
   the Curia and the local Churches, and underlining the importance of better   
   serving the Church in the world. They spoke of "decentralisation", and the   
   theme of "subsidiarity" was recurrent. Further reflection was invited on what   
   can be done better and where: or rather, in which cases it would be more   
   useful for the Roman dicasteries to act, and when instead the involvement of   
   the dioceses or the episcopal conferences would be more useful.   
    Other interventions were dedicated to the usefulness and importance of the   
   central service of the Holy See, bearing in mind the experience in various   
   countries where the local church is weak and may be subject to pressure, and   
   is therefore supported by the work of the Vatican.   
    Coordination within the Curia was addressed not with a merely functional   
   focus, but rather from the perspective of a sense of communion between the   
   different dicasteries, of communication that creates union in the common   
   mission. More specifically, the interministerial commissions were referred to   
   as tools for achieving this objective and the importance of continuity in this   
   dimension of coordination was noted.   
    Emphasis was placed on the competence of the Secretariat of State with regard   
   to the Holy See's relations with international organisations and entities as a   
   guarantee of coherence and the assumption of a common position. However, this   
   does not mean that the Secretariat of State acts alone, but rather that it   
   involves the dicasteries with specific competences, always with a guiding   
   unity.   
    Simplification is a shared criterion. There were several considerations   
   regarding the qualifications of people working in the Curia, from the point of   
   view of professional competence and ecclesial spirit and dedication. Emphasis   
   was placed on the need for professionals from different parts of the world and   
   for the Church to better reflect her universality. In this respect, there was   
   discussion on the role of the laity, women in particular, in the assumption of   
   positions of responsibility in the Roman Curia. Other interventions focused on   
   the positive elements of the Apostolic Constitution "Pastor bonus", which must   
   not be lost from view; therefore, the reform process must ensure distinct   
   continuity with this document, especially from an ecclesiological point of   
   view.   
    This morning's meeting, attended by 164 cardinals, focused primarily on a   
   long report with four interventions on themes of an economic nature,   
   introduced by Cardinal George Pell, president of the Secretariat for the   
   Economy. Joseph F.X. Zahra of the Commission for Reference on the Organisation   
   of the Economic and Administrative Structure of the Holy See (COSEA) then   
   spoke about the study the Commission carried out last year on the   
   organisational issues faced by the Holy See, and gave information on the   
   Commission's activity. It was the first time that the College of Cardinals has   
   received such a detailed report in the presence of so many cardinals. The   
   composition, role, work and competences of the Council for the Economy were   
   then the subject of an intervention by Cardinal Reinhard Marx.   
    Cardinal Pell then gave further information regarding the recent activities   
   of the Secretariat, focusing primarily on the balance for the year that has   
   just commenced. Finally, Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, president of the Institute   
   for the Works of Religion (IOR) spoke about the current situation of this body.   
    Following the interventions by the cardinals, several questions were raised   
   to the speakers. As well as asking for more specific details, the cardinals   
   expressed their appreciation for the reorganisation work that has taken place   
   and their conviction that this constitutes a convincing reform that   
   prioritises transparency, integrity and competence. The speed with which it   
   has been put into affect was also praised, given that there are already   
   entities working according to the new guidelines. The reforms, it was   
   affirmed, strengthen the credibility of the Church.   
    Questions of a more technical nature were also posed, regarding the   
   competences of various bodies and the relations between the Holy See and   
   Vatican City State.   
      
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    Press release from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue   
    Vatican City, 13 February 2015 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for   
   Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India have   
   organised a series of events in the country, which will also be attended by   
   Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio in India.   
    Two representatives of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue,   
   Rev. Fr. Indunil Kodithuwakku, under secretary, and Rev. Fr. Santiago Michael,   
   official for Asia, travelled to India to participate in the Fifth   
   Buddhist-Christian Colloquium on 12 and 13 February in Bodh Gaya. Entitled   
   "Buddhists and Christians Together Fostering Fraternity", it is divided into   
   five sub-themes: (1) "We belong to one human family"; (2) "From a culture of   
   diversity to a culture of solidarity"; (3) "Fraternity, a prerequisite for   
   overcoming social evils"; (4) "Fraternity wipes away tears"; and (5) "Together   
   fostering fraternity: the way forward", all to be considered from both   
   Christian and Buddhist points of view. The participants, both Buddhists and   
   Christians, come from various countries: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Korea, Japan,   
   Myanmar, Mongolia, Taiwan and India. A message will be issued at the end of   
   the event.   
    From 14 to17 February the representatives of the dicastery will travel to   
   Varanasi to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the promulgation of the   
   Conciliar declaration "Nostra aetate" (28 October 1965). There will be   
   encounters with the Jain, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu communities, on the   
   theme "Celebrating Diversity of Religions to Foster a World of Peace and Love".   
    On 15 February, again in Varasani, at the St. Mary's Cathedral Campus, there   
   will be a multi-religious prayer meeting organised by the PCID, the Catholic   
   Bishops' Conference of India and the diocese of Varasani, to be attended by   
   representatives of various religions and Christian communities.   
      
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    Notice   
    Vatican City, 13 February 2015 (VIS) - We wish to inform our readers that   
   tomorrow, Saturday 14 February, due to the Ordinary Public Consistory for the   
   creation of new cardinals, a special edition of the Vatican Information   
   Service bulletin will be transmitted.   
      
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    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)