PRESS OFFICE COMMUNIQUE ON C9 CARDINALS MEETING

Released just minutes ago in Italian by the Holy See Press Office. This is a google-aided translation with a few grammar tweaks by yours truly.

PRESS OFFICE COMMUNIQUE ON C9 CARDINALS MEETING

The April session of the Council of Cardinals took place on 15 and 16 April at Casa Santa Marta.

The Cardinals who are members and the Council Secretary were joined by the Pope.

On the 15th the reflection on the female role in the Church continued. Contributing to the conversation were  Sister Regina da Costa Pedro of the Congregation of Missionaries of the Immaculate, who brought some concrete stories and thoughts of some Brazilian women, and Prof. Stella Morra, who teaches at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University, who examined the role that cultures play in recognizing the role of women in diversity places on the planet.

April 16th began with a report by Cardinal Mario Grech and Mons. Piero Queue on the Synod in progress and concluded, after a reflection on the implementation of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium in the diocesan curias, with the reports of each cardinal on the social, political and ecclesial situation of the various regions of origin.

During the session there were references and, on several moments, prayers dedicated to scenarios of war and conflict that are experienced in many places in the world, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. The cardinals – and with them the Pope – have expressed concern about this happens and the hope that efforts aimed at identifying negotiation and communication paths will increase peace.

The next Council session will be held in June 2024.

 

 

 

THE C9 MEETING CONTINUES IN THE VATICAN

THE C9 MEETING CONTINUES IN THE VATICAN

The April session of the Council of Cardinals began on Monday in the presence of Pope Francis. The last one was in February and saw the participation of three women who offered the cardinals and the Pontiff a contribution on the theme of the role of women in the Church.

By Vatican News

Tuesday, April 16, saw the continuation of Council of Cardinals meetings in the presence of Pope Francis. The session kicked off on Monday.

February Meetings

The last session took place from 5 to 7 February 2024 and involved the participation of three women who contributed on the topic of the role of women in the Church. They were Sister Linda Pocher, a Salesian Sister and lecturer in Christology and Mariology at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences Auxilium in Rome; Giuliva Di Berardino, a consecrated member of the Ordo Virginum of the Diocese of Verona, a teacher, and responsible for spirituality courses and spiritual exercises; Jo Bailey Wells, a bishop of the Church of England and the Deputy Secretary General of the Anglican Communion. The February meetings of the cardinals with the Pope and the secretary of the Council also focused on the synodal processes underway in the Church and on the theme of evangelization, with contributions from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

Vatican file photo

The “New” C9

Following the renewal of the Council by the Pope on 7 March 2023, the Council of Cardinals is composed by Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State; Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and Governorate of Vatican City State; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa; Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay; Seán Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston; Juan José Omella Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona; Gérald Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec; Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg; Sérgio da Rocha, Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia. The secretary is Monsignor Marco Mellino, titular bishop of Cresima. The first meeting of the new C9 was held on 24 April last year.

Establishment of the Council of Cardinals

Pope Francis established the Council with a chirograph on 28 September 2013 to assist him in the governance of the universal Church and study a project for the revision of the Roman Curia. This task came to fruition with the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium published on 19 March 2022. The first meeting of the C9 was held on 1 October 2013.