Pope to C6: Apostolic Constitution reform already underway

By Vatican News staff writer

An online meeting provided the six Cardinal advisors that make up the so-called C6 (Council of Cardinals) the occasion to meet together with Pope Francis after an eight-month suspension of meetings caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

A Vatican Press Office statement said Pope Francis engaged in the virtual meeting on Tuesday afternoon from his office in the Casa Santa Marta to discuss some aspects of the text of the new Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia.

Once approved, that text will replace the Constitution Pastor Bonus promulgated by Pope Saint John Paul II.

"During the summer months,” the statement explained, “the Council had the opportunity to work via internet on the text of the new Apostolic Constitution whose updated draft was presented to the Holy Father. According to the usual practice, the competent Dicasteries are now proceeding with the reading of the draft."

Planning next steps

In particular, the statement noted, the meeting was convened “to summarize the work done and to study how to support the implementation of the new Constitution, once it has been promulgated.”

It also said that during the meeting Pope Francis highlighted the fact that "the reform is already underway, even under some administrative and economic aspects."

Participating in the meeting were Cardinals Óscar A. Rodríguez Maradiaga, Reinhard Marx, Sean Patrick O'Malley, Oswald Gracias, as well as Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, the Secretary of the Council, Bishop Marcello Semeraro and the Adjunct Secretary, Bishop Marco Mellino.

The next meeting, the statement concluded, "is set for the month of December and will take place via internet, due to the health emergency, and according to the already established plan.”