Pope Francis

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/09/30/pope_receives_greek_orthodox_patriarch_of_alexandria_and_all_africa/en1-732979

2013-09-30 12:32:10
Pope receives Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday received in audience in the Vatican His Beatitude Theodoros II, the Greek Orthodox Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. The Patriarch, who was accompanied by an entourage, was elected to lead the Greek Orthodox Church in Alexandria and All Africa on October 9th 2004 by the Hierarchs of the Alexandrian Throne. 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/09/30/fr_lombardi_on_new_coucil_of_cardinals_which_convenes_this_week/en1-733140

2013-09-30 16:18:22
Fr Lombardi on new Coucil of Cardinals which conven

(Vatican Radio) At a press briefing in the Vatican this morning, it was announced that Pope Francis has issued a chirograph, or formal, handwritten letter, officially setting up the Council of Cardinals which will be holding its first meeting from Tuesday to Thursday this week.
Philippa Hitchen has the details:

Listen: RealAudioMP3

“An encouraging innovation to enrich the governance of the Church with a new method of consultation”. That was how Fr Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See press office, described the new Council of eight cardinals who represent the Church on the different continents, from Africa and Asia, Europe and Australia, North, Central and South America and finally one cardinal, Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Governing body of Vatican City State. Together with the Italian bishop of Albano serving as secretary and Pope Francis himself, this small group will be working for the next three days behind the closed doors of the library inside the Apostolic Palace where most previous popes have lived. All of the cardinals are staying at the nearby Santa Marta guesthouse where Pope Francis has chosen to live and all of them will be travelling with the Holy Father on his pilgrimage to Assisi on Friday at the end of their meeting.
In the formal letter, Pope Francis makes clear he reserves the right to change the number of advisers in his new Council and to seek their advice individually, or as a group, whenever necessary. Fr Lombardi noted that, ahead of this week’s meeting, all the cardinals have already been hard at working, seeking input from bishops conferences in their particular parts of the globe and they’ve already had a couple of informal get-togethers to share ideas and suggestions ahead of the opening session on Tuesday morning. Fr Lombardi also read out the part of the papal letter which spells out the main tasks facing the newly instituted Council:

“ …a Council of Cardinals with the task of assisting me in the governance of the Universal church and drawing up a project for the revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus on the Roman Curia”
 

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http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/international/europe/2013/09/vatican_benedict_xvi_may_attend_pope_canonization

Vatican: Benedict XVI may attend pope canonization
Monday, September 30, 2013

VATICAN CITY — Popes John Paul II and John XXIII will be declared saints on April 27 at a ceremony that might see two living popes honoring two dead ones.

The Vatican on Monday said retired Pope Benedict XVI might join Pope Francis in the saint-making ceremony for their predecessors, noting that there was no reason why Benedict should have to watch the ceremony on TV.

"There's no reason — either doctrinal or institutional — that he couldn't participate in a public ceremony," the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi said. "I don't have any reason to exclude it."

He noted there was still time before the ceremony and that Benedict was free to decide what to do.
 

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English translation

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-francis-chirograph-establishing-council-of-cardinals?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zenit%2Fenglish+%28ZENIT+English%29

Pope Francis' Chirograph Establishing Council of Cardinals
Vatican City,  September 30, 2013

 
Among the suggestions that emerged from the General Congregations of Cardinals prior to the Conclave, mention was made of the expediency of instituting a limited group of Members of the Episcopate, from various parts of the world, with whom the Holy Father could consult, individually or collectively, on specific matters. Once elected to the See of Rome, I have had the opportunity to reflect on this issue on a number of occasions, and consider that such an initiative would be of significant use in fulfilling the pastoral ministry of Peter’s Successor entrusted to me by my brother cardinals.

“For this reason, on 13 April I announced the constitution of the aforementioned group, at the same time indicating the names of those who had been called to participate. Now, following reflection, I consider it opportune that such a group, by means of the present Chirograph, be instituted as a 'Council of Cardinals', with the task of assisting me in the governance of the universal Church and drawing up a project for the revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor bonus on the Roman Curia. It will be composed of the same persons previously nominated, who may be called upon, both in Council and singly, on matters that I will from time to time consider worthy of attention. The aforementioned Council which, with regard to the number of members, I will compose in the most appropriate way, will constitute a further expression of Episcopal communion and of the aid to the munus petrinum that the Episcopate, disseminated throughout the world, may offer.

Given in Rome, at St. Peter's on September 28th of the year 2013, the first of my Pontificate.

FRANCIS

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/01/pope_concelebrates_mass_with_council_of_cardinals/en1-733309

2013-10-01 11:45:57
Pope concelebrates Mass with Council of Cardinals

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis concelebrated Mass this morning at the Casa Santa Marta with members of the Council of Cardinals. The Holy Father is meeting with the group of Cardinals from Tuesday through Thursday of this week.

In his homily, the Pope expressed his hope that the meeting would help everyone become more humble and more trusting in God, so that the Church might be able to give a beautiful witness to the people.

In the day’s readings, Jesus rebuked the two Apostles that wanted to call down fire from heaven upon those who would not accept them. Pope Francis pointed out that the way of the Christian is not a “path of vengeance.” The way of the Christian is the way of humility, of meekness. He added that today, on the feast of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, it would be good for us to think about “this spirit of humility, of tenderness, of bounty.” It is a spirit, the Pope said, that the Lord “wants from all of us.” Where, then, is the power “that brings us to this spirit?” It is found “in love, in charity, in the awareness that we are in the hands of the Father.” When we sense this, the Pope observed, we will not want “to call down fire from Heaven”:

“Another spirit comes, that of that charity that suffers all, pardons all, that does not boast, that is humble, that doesn’t seek itself. Someone could say — and there are some philosophers that thing this way — that this is a humiliation of the majesty of man, of the greatness of man. This is sterile! The Church has wisely made this saint, humble, small, trusting in God, meek: she has made her the Patron of Missions.”

The strength of the Gospel, he continued, is there, “because the Gospel reaches its highest point in the humiliation of Jesus: humility that becomes humiliation. And the force of the Gospel, he said, is properly in humility, in the humility of the child that is guided by the love and the tenderness of the father.”:

“The Church, Benedict XVI told us, does not grow through proselytism, it grows through attraction, through witness. And when the people see this witness of humility, of meekness, of mildness, they feel the need that the Prophet Zachariah spoke of: ‘We want to come with you.’ The people feel that need in the face of the witness of charity, of this humble charity, without bullying, not sufficient, humble. Worship and serve!”
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/01/pope_shares_his_vision,_reform_of_church_with_italian_daily/en1-733344

2013-10-01 12:53:36
Pope shares his vision, reform of Church with Italian daily

(Vatican Radio) In an exclusive interview with the Italian national daily, La Repubblica, Pope Francis said he is seeking to change the Church so that it once again becomes “a community of God’s people”, where “priests, pastors and bishops, who have the care of souls, are at the service of the people of God”.

The interview, conducted by the newspaper’s founder, Eugenio Scalfari, and printed in the edition of 1 October, runs three pages long. Scalfari had conducted the interview at the Pope’s residence Sept. 24.

The Pope told Scalfari that the Church’s objective is not to proselytize, which he said is “solemn nonsense”, but to “listen to the needs, desires, disappointments, despair and hope” of the people.

The ideal of a missionary and poor Church, incarnated by Saint Francis 800 years ago, remains more than valid today, in order “to restore hope to the young, to help the elderly, to be open toward the future, and to spread love,” he said.

The Church must “be poor among the poor… (and) include the excluded and preach peace.”

The Pope responded to questions on the concepts of good and evil, personal conscience, love of neighbour, the common good, and narcissism among people in power.
 

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Other media coverage of the exclusive interview with the Italian national daily La Repubblica newspaper’s founder, Eugenio Scalfari, and Pope Francis.

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/the-ever-astonishing-pope-francis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-ever-astonishing-pope-francis

The Ever-Astonishing Pope Francis
By Rod Dreher • October 1, 2013, 10:39 AM

http://world.time.com/2013/10/01/pope-francis-talks-spirituality-in-new-interview/

Pope Francis Talks Spirituality in New Interview
Displaying a sense of humor, the leader of the Catholic Church discusses faith with an influential Italian atheist
By Elizabeth Dias @elizabethjdiasOct. 01, 2013

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/01/20769734-pope-francis-digs-at-vaticans-narcissistic-nature-calls-for-change?lite

Updated 3 hours ago
Pope Francis digs at Vatican's narcissistic nature, calls for change

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/01/president_of_ior_explains_publication_of_first_annual_report/en1-733246

2013-10-01 07:58:07
President of IOR explains publication of first annual report

(Vatican Radio) The Holy See’s Institute for Works of Religion, or Vatican Bank as it’s commonly called, today published the first annual report of its 125 year history. The lengthy report contains a description of business activities from 2012 and the first 8 months of 2013, together with detailed financial statements, including one from the external auditing company KPMG.
To find out more, the head of Vatican Radio’s German programme, Fr Bernd Hagenkord spoke with the President of the IOR, Ernst von Freyberg….
Listen: RealAudioMP3
The document you present today is a rather long and complicated document, few will read it, even fewer will understand what it says. Could you explain in a few words what it contains?

“We present the first annual report in 125 years of history of IOR. It contains a description of our business, it contains a summary of 2012 and of the first eight months of 2013, statements from our supervisory board, from the commission of cardinals and from the prelate. And then it contains more than 60 pages of detailed financial statements with a full audit statement from KPMG.”
 
The full report from the Institute for Works of Religion can be found on the website: www.ior.va
-----------------
Link to the Institute for Works of Religion website: http://www.ior.va/
Link to the IOR Annual Report:  http://www.ior.va/Portals/0/Content/Media/Documents/AnnualReports/425x00sc399T!/IOR_AnnualReport_E.pdf

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English translation of the interview of September 24, 2013
http://www.repubblica.it/cultura/2013/10/01/news/pope_s_conversation_with_scalfari_english-67643118/

The Pope: how the Church will change
Dialogue between Francis and La Repubblica's founder, Eugenio Scalfari: "Starting from the Second Vatican Council, open to modern culture". The conversation in the Vatican after the Pope's letter to La Repubblica: "Convert you? Proselytism is solemn nonsense. You have to meet people and listen to them."
(2013-10-01)

by EUGENIO SCALFARI
Pope Francis told me: "The most serious of the evils that afflict the world these days are youth unemployment and the loneliness of the old. The old need care and companionship; the young need work and hope but have neither one nor the other, and the problem is they don't even look for them any more. They have been crushed by the present. You tell me: can you live crushed under the weight of the present? Without a memory of the past and without the desire to look ahead to the future by building something, a future, a family? Can you go on like this? This, to me, is the most urgent problem that the Church is facing."

Your Holiness, I say, it is largely a political and economic problem for states, governments, political parties, trade unions.
"Yes, you are right, but it also concerns the Church, in fact, particularly the Church because this situation does not hurt only bodies but also souls. The Church must feel responsible for both souls and bodies."

Your Holiness, you say that the Church must feel responsible. Should I conclude that the Church is not aware of this problem and that you will steer it in this direction?
"To a large extent that awareness is there, but not sufficiently. I want it to be more so. It is not the only problem that we face, but it is the most urgent and the most dramatic."

The meeting with Pope Francis took place last Tuesday at his home in Santa Marta, in a small bare room with a table and five or six chairs and a painting on the wall. It had been preceded by a phone call I will never forget as long as I live.
It was half past two in the afternoon. My phone rings and in a somewhat shaky voice my secretary tells me: "I have the Pope on the line. I'll put him through immediately."

I was still stunned when I heard the voice of His Holiness on the other end of a the line saying, "Hello, this is Pope Francis." "Hello Your Holiness", I say and then, "I am shocked I did not expect you to call me." "Why so surprised? You wrote me a letter asking to meet me in person. I had the same wish, so I'm calling to fix an appointment. Let me look at my diary: I can't do Wednesday, nor Monday, would Tuesday suit you?"
I answer, that's fine.
"The time is a little awkward, three in the afternoon, is that okay? Otherwise it'll have to be another day." Your Holiness, the time is fine. "So we agree: Tuesday 24 at 3 o'clock. At Santa Marta. You have to come into the door at the Sant'Uffizio."

I don't know how to end this call and let myself go, saying: "Can I embrace you by phone?" "Of course, a hug from me too. Then we will do it in person, goodbye."

And here I am. The Pope comes in and shakes my hand, and we sit down. The Pope smiles and says: "Some of my colleagues who know you told me that you will try to convert me."
 

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http://www.jta.org/2013/10/01/news-opinion/sukkot-in-the-vatican-rabbi-spent-the-holidays-with-pope-francis

Sukkot in the Vatican: Rabbi spent the holidays with Pope Francis
October 1, 2013 6:02pm

Rabbi Abraham Skorka from Argentina recently spent several days in the Vatican, hanging out with his good friend and countryman Pope Francis and staying at the guest house that the modest pontiff has made his residence.

La Stampa’s Vatican Insider has the story:

Never before in the history of Christian-Jewish relations have a Pope and a Rabbi celebrated their friendship by living in the Vatican together for several days, sharing all meals, including on two Jewish festivals and the Sabbath at which the Rabbi said prayers in Hebrew, and discussing what more  they can do together to promote dialogue and peace in the world.
 
While the relationship between the two clerics does seem unique, this pope is not the first occupant of the Chair of St. Peter to have a rabbinic buddy. Francis’s predecessor, the academically inclined Pope Benedict XVI, bonded with the famously prolific Judaic studies professor Rabbi Jacob Neusner over shared scholarly interests. (Here’s a nice account from Neusner about visiting Benedict in the Vatican.)

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/02/papal_audience:_church_too_is_made_up_of_sinners;_do_not_be_afraid_to/en1-733574

2013-10-02 11:22:31
Papal Audience: Church too is made up of sinners; do not be afraid to strive for holiness

(Vatican Radio) “Do not be afraid to aim for holiness and turn yourselves over to the love of God. Holiness does not mean performing extraordinary things but carrying out daily things in an extraordinary way – that is, with love, joy and faith.” That’s what Pope Francis told pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s square on Wednesday for the weekly General Audience.

Speaking in Italian, the Pope said the Church is not without sin because it is made up of sinners. Priests, sisters, bishops, cardinals and even Popes are sinners. ‘Who, among the pilgrims gathered in the square, he asked, is not a sinner?’ ‘We are all sinners!’ He exclaimed.
Throughout its two thousand year history, he said, the Church went through many “trials, problems (and) moments of darkness.” But how can a Church “made up of human beings, of sinners,” he asked, “be holy?”

Recalling Christ, who gave himself up for the Church, he said this ultimate sacrifice is what renders the Church holy. The Church, he went on, is holy for three reasons: firstly because it is faithful to God, who does not abandon it to the “powers of death and evil.” Secondly, because it “is united in an everlasting way to Jesus Christ,”and thirdly, because “it is led by the Holy Spirit who purifies, transforms and renews it.”

The Church, he concluded, does not renounce sinners, but opens its doors to everyone so they may find God’s tender mercy and forgiveness.
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/02/fr_lombardi_sj_briefs_on_council_of_cardinals/en1-733695

2013-10-02 15:23:48
Fr Lombardi SJ briefs on Council of Cardinals

(Vatican Radio) The group of eight prelates constituting Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals continued their meetings on Wednesday. There was a morning session that ran from roughly 9 AM until 12:30 PM and an afternoon session scheduled to run between 4 PM and 7 PM Rome time, during which organization of the Synod of Bishops and the theme of the upcoming Synod Assembly were on the agenda. Listen: RealAudioMP3

The Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, briefed journalists on the progress of the sessions early Wednesday afternoon, during which he told them that Pope Francis is taking an active part in the meetings, which have shifted venue from the Apostolic Palace to a conference room in the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence in the Vatican. In his opening remarks, Fr. Lombardi SJ offered a significant terminological clarification: the members of the Council were chosen by Pope Francis on the basis of their experience and their knowledge of the situation of the Church and society in their respective geographical areas, but are not properly speaking continental “delegates”.

During the question and answer session, significant attention was paid to the lengthy interview published in the Tuesday edition of the Italian daily La Repubblica. Fr. Lombardi SJ explained that the text, like that of the interview published recently in La Civiltà Cattolica and America magazine (among other Jesuit reviews of affairs around the world), represents a “conversational” or “colloquial” form of communication. “It is not,” he explained, “a magisterial document.”
 

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http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=19233

Text of papal interview was inexact, Vatican journalist finds
October 02, 2013

A prominent Vatican journalist has cautioned that an interview with Pope Francis, published this week by the Italian daily La Repubblica, does not reproduce the Pope’s words exactly.

Andrea Tornielli of La Stampa, writing on his own blog, questions the accuracy of certain passages in the interview as it was published in La Repubblica, such as the line in which the Pontiff described himself as humble. Tornielli also explains that an incident described in the interview, in which the Pope says that he prayed in a small room in the apostolic palace after being elected as Pontiff, could not have occurred as it was described.

Thus Tornielli concludes that the interview was “not a word-for-word exact reconstruction” of the Pope’s conversation with his interviewer. In a briefing for reporters on October 2, Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, confirmed that the Pope’s words had been “revised” by La Repubblica. The Vatican spokesman added, however, that Pope Francis had no difficulties with the text as it appeared in the newspaper. 

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http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/10/tornielli-calls-into-question-accuracy-of-pope-francis-interview-fr-z-asks-a-serious-question/

Tornielli calls into question accuracy of Pope Francis’ interview. Fr. Z asks a serious question.
Posted on 2 October 2013 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf   
 
Andrea Tornielli has a piece today at Sacri Palazzi wherein he calls into question the veracity of Scalfari’s account of the interview with Pope Francis.

I don’t have time to translate the whole thing for you at the moment, since I am off to lunch and then to the firing range for some therapy.

However, Tornielli points out that more than one cardinal told him that Francis did not go apart into a room before he accepted the election as Pope during the conclave.  That’s just one point.

However, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, the papal spokesman, responded to a question from journalists, saying:  “It isn’t clear to me that the text of the interview with the Pope on La Repubblica was revised.”

Tornielli goes on to write:

“Lombardi didn’t deny any passage in the conversation, and he explained that the overall reconstruction of the papal affirmations was faithful.  But [NB...] he made it clear that it is necessary to be cautious in attributing with precision to the Pope every single quoted word.”

Is that so?

Then I have to ask:  If we aren’t sure about the exact words of the Pope:

Why the hell is the interview posted on the Vatican’s website in the category of “Speeches” of Pope Francis?!?

HERE
 
What am I missing? Is it just because L’Osservatore Romano also printed it? If so… isn’t that enough? If people need to find it, they can find it there.

If we don’t know for sure that what La Repubblica printed is what Pope Francis actually said, then why is it posted on the Holy See’s website as if it is really a “speech” of Pope Francis?
 

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http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=23337

Council of Cardinals reflects on ecclesiology of Vatican II  
Posted: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 11:42 pm


Casa Santa Marta

 
During the first meeting Fr Lombardi said there was an introduction by the Pope and a reflection on the ecclesiology of Vatican Council II, in order to define the nature of the Council in relation not only to organisational matters, but to "a broader theological and spiritual vision of the Church, inspired by the ecclesiology of Vatican Council II and the implementation of its themes".

Fr Lombardi said: "this is not achieved simply by means of a morning round table, but indicates the views the various board members take. They have considered issues such as how to revive and refresh the relationship between the universal and local Church, communion and collegiality, the need to be a Church of the poor, and the role of the laity; all points raised by Vatican Council II and which form a backdrop to the work of the Council of Cardinals. In the light of this, they will later consider structures of governance."

Each of the participants presented a brief summary of the suggestions received, and brought along material which forms part of the common working documentation for the Council. This has enabled the group to classify the major themes to be considered in this and subsequent sessions.

The afternoon session was dedicated to the Synod of Bishops and was attended by the new secretary, Bishop Baldisseri. "It is an important theme, both for the participation of the episcopate in the life of the Church through the synod, and for the urgency of initiating preparations for the next synod, about which we will probably know more within a few days. However we do not know if it will be an ordinary or extraordinary synod" said Lombardi, adding that the Pope had made reference to a "theme of an anthropological nature: the family according to the Gospel, but in any case it is not yet precise. The Holy Father also said that prominent themes such as family and matrimonial pastoral will be the order of the day in the activity of the Church in the near future."

He said: "Today, Wednesday, the Council has focused on other issues such as the reform of the Curia in its various aspects, the function of the Secretariat of State, relations between the dicasteries and with the Holy Father. There have been many suggestions and contributions. It is is long term task, and therefore one should not expect conclusions in the short term or within these days".

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/03/pope_francis:_thursday_mass_in_santa_marta/en1-733953

2013-10-03 14:07:47
Pope Francis: Thursday Mass in Santa Marta

(Vatican Radio) “When God comes near to us, there is feasting.” This was a central focus of Pope Francis’ remarks following the readings at Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence on Thursday morning, together with the Council of 8 Cardinals meeting this week at the Vatican. Pope Francis spoke of the need to resist transforming our memory of salvation into a mere recollection or an “habitual event”. Listen: RealAudioMP3

Ezra’s reading from the Book of the Law – which was believed lost, as recoded in the first Reading of the day from the Book of Nehemiah – occasioned the Holy Father’s reflections. The People of God, he said, “had the memory of the Law, but it was a distant memory.” The recovery of the Law brought them, “because they had the experience of closeness of salvation”:

“This is important not only in the great moments in history, but also in the moments of our life: we all have the memory of salvation, everyone. I wonder, though: is this memory close to us, or is it a memory a bit far away, spread a little thin, a bit archaic, a little like a museum [piece]… it can get far away [from us]… and when the memory is not close, when we do not experience the closeness of memory, it enters into a process of transformation, and the memory becomes a mere recollection.”
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/03/pope_francis:_pacem_in_terris_a_guide_for_a_better,_peaceful_world/en1-733918

2013-10-03 12:56:50
Pope Francis: Pacem in Terris a guide for a better, peaceful world

(Vatican Radio) Blessed Pope John XXIII’s Cold War era Encyclical Pacem in Terris or “Peace on Earth,” remains “extremely contemporary” and can act as a guide to peace-building in today’s world. That’s what Pope Francis told participants of a three day Vatican conference celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the 1963 Encyclical Letter.
Tracey McClure reports: RealAudioMP3

Experts from Catholic universities and institutions, and from the UN, the Council of Europe, the African Union, and the Organization of American States have gathered in Rome at the request of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace to discuss the relevance of Pacem in Terris in the promotion today of a more peaceful world.

In his remarks Thursday, the second day of the conference, Pope Francis recalled John XXIII’s 1962 radio message calling for ‘peace, peace!’ as world powers came to the brink of nuclear war. And later, Blessed Pope John Paul II’s efforts at the time of the Iron Curtain which led to “an opening of spaces of freedom and dialogue.” John XXIII’s seeds of peace brought fruits, the Pope said, but despite “the fall of walls and barriers, the world continues to need peace” and Pacem in Terris remains extremely relevant
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/03/bishop_of_assisi:_pope_francis_brings_with_him_the_sense_of_the_gospel/en1-733923

2013-10-03 14:22:10
Bishop of Assisi: Pope Francis brings with him the sense of the

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday travels to Assisi. It is October 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.

Among the many stops of the Pope's intense schedule, is the so called “Renunciation Room” or “Stripping Room” which is where Francis renounced his worldly wealth and stripped himself of his rich clothing before Bishop Guido of Assisi.

Linda Bordoni spoke to the current Bishop of Assisi, Domenico Sorrentino, who confirmed that he personally wrote Pope Francis a letter inviting him to visit…
 

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http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/03/reform_of_the_curia_will_be_substantial/en1-733985

2013-10-03 15:07:00
Reform of the Curia will be "substantial"

(Vatican Radio) A new Apostolic Constitution will probably be written to replace Pastor Bonus, which will emphasize the Curia’s service to the universal Church and local churches. The Council of Cardinals appointed by Pope Francis to assist him in his governance of the Church and reform of the Curia has been meeting at the Vatican since Tuesday.

In a briefing, the head of the Vatican Press Office Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, said we can “expect a new Constitution.” He said changes will not be a "simple upgrade" nor "marginal", but will be "substantial". He said an important reorientation will be with the Secretariat of State, which should be in all respects a “Secretary of the Pope,” and that this will be part of the guidelines he gives the next Secretary of State, who takes office on October 15th.

In addition, a separate figure acting as a “Moderator of the Curia” could be appointed to coordinate relations between the Pope and the heads of the various Departments and offices.

The Council also spoke about the role of the laity in the Church, and how this role may be more appropriately and effectively recognized and followed in the government of the Church.

The Cardinals also continued their discussion from Tuesday on the Synod of Bishops, as Pope Francis prepares to decide its theme and implementation.

Father Lombardi said the Council briefly touched on the issues surrounding financial institutions, but will wait until the various committees established by the Pope issue their reports before discussing the matter thoroughly.

The date of the next meeting of the Council of Cardinals has not been decided by Pope Francis, but it is expected early next year.

Here is an English translation by the Vatican Information Service of the full text of Father Lombardi's briefing:
THE COUNCIL OF CARDINALS: A NEW CONSTITUION FOR THE CURIA
 

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http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=19241

Pope, cardinals discuss 'substantial' overhaul of Roman Curia
October 03, 2013

The Council of Cardinals is discussing a thorough revision of Pastor Bonus, the apostolic constitution that defines the duties of the Roman Curia, the Vatican has disclosed.

In their 2nd day of discussions, the 8 cardinals on the Council spoke about the content of “a new constitution with significant new aspects,” Father Federico Lombardi told reporters at a Vatican briefing on October 3. “The cardinals made it clear that they do not intend to make cosmetic retouches or minor modifications to Pastor Bonus,” he said.

The reformed structure of the Roman Curia would reflect a goal of “subsidiarity, rather than the exercise of centralized power,” the director of the Vatican press office disclosed. The offices of the Roman Curia would be defined in terms of service to the universal Church.

The Secretariat of State could undergo the most significant transformation, Father Lombardi reported. He remarked that the timing of the Pope’s discussions with the Council of Cardinals is fortuitous, because the Pope will be able to give appropriate directions to Archbishop Pietro Parolin as he assumes his new responsibilities as Secretary of State later this month.

The Council discussed the possibility of creating a new post, a “Moderator of the Curia,” the Vatican spokesman said, but did not reach a decision on that question. The possibility of such a position, to coordinate dealings between the Pope and the offices of the Curia, had been discussed before the conclave that chose Pope Francis.

During their 2nd day of meetings the cardinals returned to the role of the Synod of Bishops, a topic they had discussed the 1st day, Father Lombardi said. Changes in the role of the Synod could be implemented quickly, as the new Pope chooses a theme for the next Synod meeting.