Not much news here at the Vatican today as Pope Francis is at about the mid-point of his July working vacation, a period of time when general audiences, most private audiences and most all public events are taken off his agenda, with the exception of the Sunday Angelus. How does he spend his time? Well, it’s a safe bet to say he reads reports and news from and about the Church around the world, from officials at offices of the Roman Curia and personal correspondence from friends and colleagues.
The Holy Father and his cardinal advisors and others have been working for years on reform of the offices of Vatican City and, principally, those of the Roman Curia, and we seem to be close to seeing the result of that work – the publication of the Apostolic Constitution that will replace Pope Saint John Paul’s 1988 constitution, “Pastor Bonus” that instituted reforms in the central government of the Catholic Church.
What Pastor Bonus did essentially was to lay out in great detail the organization of the Roman Curia, specifying the names, duties, norms and jurisdiction of each particular office, who oversees what and so on.
And that is what most people expect from Pope Francis, although some early signs point to epochal changes in the administrative structure of the Roman Curia.
Drafts of the constitution have been sent to the world’s bishops, to heads of Roman Curia offices and to heads of religious orders and congregations around the world, among others. Once finalized and signed by the Pope (seems that has been done), the constitution must then be translated into the Church’s major languages.
Will there be a summer surprise?
POPE FRANCIS DONATES VENTILATOR TO BRAZIL HOSPITAL
By Vatican News
Pope Francis donated a ventilator to the Campanha de Maraba Hospital in Brazil as the number of infections and deaths due to the Covid-19 virus continues to increase in the South American country.
Expressing his gratitude in a video, Bishop Vital Corbellini of Marabá said that, “it was a beautiful charitable action of Pope Francis through the Apostolic Nunciature” which will be used to “save as many lives as possible.”
“We ask that it be used especially for the Indigenous Peoples, because they are the most in need,” Bishop Corbellini told Vatican News.
The Pope’s gift
The respirator, one of four sent by the Holy Father to Brazil, along with a temperature monitor, arrived in Marabá on Sunday. Bishop Corbellini, in turn, presented them to the health facility’s coordinator during a small ceremony on Monday, July 13.
The hospital, situated in Pará, has ten beds reserved for indigenous patients who have contracted Covid-19, two of which are currently occupied.
Pope Francis’ closeness
“The Pope cares about Indigenous Peoples whose rights are often violated,” said the Bishop, adding that the government does not pay much attention to them.
“Their lands, forests and rivers are occupied, so it is necessary to look after them with affection and help them live well,” he stated. “Now we have this device that can help save lives. That is why we are delivering it here – to this very important hospital of Marabá,” Bishop Corbellini added.
According to the Department of Health of the State of Amapá, 91 percent of the beds in intensive care are occupied.
Joan's Rome 