MondayVatican » MondayVatican – gang of cardinals » Pope Francis and the Upcoming Meeting with the G8 of the Church https://www.mondayvatican.com Vatican at a Glance Sun, 25 Oct 2026 23:45:09 +0000 it-IT hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Pope Francis and the Upcoming Meeting with the G8 of the Church https://www.mondayvatican.com/vatican/pope-francis-and-the-upcoming-meeting-with-the-g8-of-the-church https://www.mondayvatican.com/vatican/pope-francis-and-the-upcoming-meeting-with-the-g8-of-the-church#comments Sun, 15 Sep 2013 23:01:17 +0000 Andrea Gagliarducci http://www.mondayvatican.com/?p=1593 No doubt about it: every gesture by Pope Francis is a political signal. The time when his choices could be considered those of a naïve or inexperienced Pope is over. Every decision Pope Francis makes is signaling in which direction he wants to move the Church.

The eight cardinals charged with advising the Pope [...]]]> No doubt about it: every gesture by Pope Francis is a political signal. The time when his choices could be considered those of a naïve or inexperienced Pope is over. Every decision Pope Francis makes is signaling in which direction he wants to move the Church.

The eight cardinals charged with advising the Pope about an eventual Curia reform will meet in Rome, Oct. 1-3. Sketches of possible reforms are already on the Pope’s desk. In fact, sketches of a possible reform were drafted long before Pope Francis’ push for it. Talk about the need to streamline the Curia is not new, after all.

Benedict XVI was on it. He started by integrating the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue within the Pontifical Council for Culture (after some pressure, he reverted to the status quo ante and undid this integration). Conscious that a coordinating center was needed, Benedict XVI asked the Secretariat of State to assess the means for a more collegial management of the Church’s internal affairs.

The “model” was that which Ratzinger perfected as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was not a mystery. Card. Bertone, Secretary of State, discussed that model in a meeting with the heads of Vatican dicasteries on Jan. 28, 2012.

That meeting took place just as the “Vatileaks” crisis was emerging. In the meeting, Bertone underlined the many things that should have been done over the years, but were not. These were actions that still had to be undertaken.

It was an ambitious project that would work only if everyone was on board. Not everyone was.  In the Secretariat of State, there were groups under the influence of Secretary of State Emeritus Sodano and the powerful Cardinal Dziwisz, former personal secretary of John Paul II.  Small groups of hardcore curia officials within the Secretariat had turned what should have been a climate of collegiality with other collaborators and advisors into one of mutual suspicion. Poor choices in the selection of collaborators and advisors was also to blame for the failure of the project.

As a result, there emerged a very blurred image of reality, particularly as perceived by some Cardinals outside Rome. Often, these cardinals only had “third hand” information. They could not see what was going on inside the Vatican.

Bergoglio was one of these archbishops in the “outer-perimeter” dioceses. In Argentina, he paid attention to cleaning up the image of his diocese. He wanted the faithful to feel he was close to them, even shocking them with his quips (in Argentina, they called them las bergolladas). He cared about projecting a clean image for the benefit of a missionary Church. When his priests mentioned to him that it would be good to have a synod, he replied that a synod would only serve to produce materials that would just end up on book shelves. On the other hand, he would choose the right tone where politics were involved. And he knew how to speak to the average man, using a mix of populism and common sense that borrowed expressions from newspapers and bar talk.

The cardinals, especially those from the peripheries, appreciated Bergoglio’s austerity, missionary-age outlook, and blunt (to the point of being almost cynical) character. They saw in him an ideal candidate for a pontificate that would break from the past. There was also the need to regain popular and media support, and for a comprehensive reform.

Early signs of Pope Francis’ style show that his way of governing may be many things, but it is not collegial.

The cardinals that will meet October 1-3 have been chosen personally by Pope Francis. They will refer only to him. And Pope Francis will have the last word on any decision. The pontifical commission for the Institute for Religious Works was created by the Pope without giving the Vatican Secretariat of State, which generally serves as a clearinghouse for these issues, a heads-up. The members of the commission have been personally chosen by the Pope, even if he took on advice and recommendations from friends and from people he trusted. The appointment of the pontifical commission to revise and oversee Vatican City State was formed likewise.

Lobbyists and pressure groups has thus started, once again, to actively seek to be counted among the Pope’s advisors. Opus Dei and the Legionaries of Christ, religious groups which were prominently influential during the last part of John Paul II’s pontificate, are back. Their weight is heavy in an atmosphere that has become rarefied in the Curia.

An institutional framework is missing. But it is not a given that Pope Francis wants to provide one.

More than considering how to reform the Pastor Bonus (the pastoral constitution that regulates functions and offices of the Roman Curia), Pope Francis is simply acting as if Pastor Bonus did not exist. He is not changing it. He is not taking it into account.

For example, the Secretary of State must be a cardinal. It is written, it is a law of the Church. Whenever the chosen clergyman is not a cardinal, he can be appointed Pro-Secretary of State, waiting to be created cardinal. Pietro Parolin will take his post on October 15, after the meeting with the cardinals, as had been decided long time ago (Bertone had asked the announcement to be made as soon as possible, after no one spoke up to defend him when Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui said he was a corrupt man). However, Parolin has been appointed Secretary of State, not Pro-Secretary of State. And he is still an archbishop.

The Secretary General of Vatican City State must be an archbishop. If a priest is chosen for the post, he must be “elevated” to that rank. The new secretary, Fernando Vergez, is simply a monsignor. And there is no hint on any upcoming episcopal ordination for him. One could say: it is normal, since Pope Francis also abolished de facto the title of monsignor, conceding it only in most special circumstances.

These are choices that lend credence to the notion that action lies outside the institution and takes place without observing or reforming the rules. So, what will be of the Vatican employees who have fought for more transparency, honesty and collegiality within the institutional framework, working to reform and improve the rules?

A first signal is out. Msgr. Massimo Boarotto has been serving until now as chief of the Extraordinary Section of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), a sort of Vatican “central bank”. The management of the funds for Vatican employees, special investments and some accounts passed through his desk. He did a good job, so good that he made some enemies. He was one of the first ones to notice the wrongdoings of Nunzio Scarano, the APSA employee now under arrest under suspicion of money laundering. Boarotto managed to isolate Scarano in the office, but he was not able to remove him.

Now, Msgr. Boarotto has decided to step aside. He will be a parish priest once again. He did not ask for a promotion, which he would deserve after so many years as a senior Vatican official. This outcome could be a strong signal of things to come under a Pope Francis overhaul.

Last week, in the sixth month of his pontificate, Pope Francis met with the chiefs of Vatican dicasteries. It was essentially a routine meeting, yet full of political signals. Generally, the Secretariat of State convoked these meetings, and the Secretary of State would be making a speech. Bertone, however, was not even mentioned in the Holy See Press Office Bulletin, and the meeting was convoked by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household.

This way of proceeding could also indicate that Francis intends the Secretariat of State to be relieved, from now on, from the management of general affairs. Perhaps, the Secretariat of State will only deal with diplomacy, since the designated Secretary is a career diplomat.

One more sign: Cardinal Vicar Agostino Vallini, the Pope’s vicar general for the diocese of Rome, took part in the meeting, despite not being the chief of a Vatican dicastery. His presence could also mean that Pope Francis wants to strengthen the links between his government activity and the diocese of Rome.

All this “reform” is coming about in intervals, with Francis in the central decision-making role and everyone else following. It would show that listening to people does not mean collegial decision-making.

At a first glance, Francis’ program seems to be about the dismantling of the current system. To reach this goal, he has sought the help of friends and people who think like him. Almost all of these confidants are from Latin America or have some knowledge of Spanish or Latin America. The future will tell how successful these efforts will be.

 

]]> https://www.mondayvatican.com/vatican/pope-francis-and-the-upcoming-meeting-with-the-g8-of-the-church/feed 4 Pope Francis’ team takes shape https://www.mondayvatican.com/vatican/pope-francis-team-takes-shape https://www.mondayvatican.com/vatican/pope-francis-team-takes-shape#comments Sun, 01 Sep 2013 22:03:42 +0000 Andrea Gagliarducci http://www.mondayvatican.com/?p=1574 Pope Francis has started to form his team. And he has done so from the very top. As Secretary of State, Pope Francis has decided to appoint Pietro Parolin, an Italian hailing from Veneto and born in 1955, who until now was Papal Nuncio in Venezuela. He is an experienced diplomat whose career [...]]]> Pope Francis has started to form his team. And he has done so from the very top. As Secretary of State, Pope Francis has decided to appoint Pietro Parolin, an Italian hailing from Veneto and born in 1955, who until now was Papal Nuncio in Venezuela. He is an experienced diplomat whose career path evolved under Secretary of State emeritus Angelo Sodano. Parolin proved his competence and skills when he worked at the Secretariat of State, managing the Vietnam and China portfolios. In addition, Parolin is very much esteemed in South America.

The appointment of the Secretariat of State is just one piece of the Curia puzzle. On Aug. 30, Pope Francis fitted another piece, appointing the number two position for the Vatican City State government. Fernando Vergez, who until now headed the Telecommunications Department of the Vatican, held the right qualifications and was appointed.

Parolin will start on his new job on Oct. 15, when Pope Francis will «receive for an audience high- ranking members and officials of the Secretariat of State, »  in order to publicly thank Bertone for his faithful and generous service to the Holy See and to introduce Bertone’s successor to Secretariat of State officials.

Actually, it is a homecoming for Msgr. Parolin: He served in the Secretariat of State from 1992 to 2009, at different posts, most recently and importantly as the Vatican’s equivalent to a vice minister for foreign affairs, overseeing sensitive portfolios and closely following the outcomes of the Second Gulf War. Later, As papal nuncio in Venezuela, Parolin did a great job reconciling the Venezuelan government and the Church.

The new Pro-Secretary of State (Parolin will become Secretary of State only after Pope Francis creates him cardinal) is happy. He issued a press release thanking everyone, from his family to Pope Benedict who «ordained me bishop,»  and affirming that he «stands before this new service to the Gospel, the Church and Pope Francis with trepidation, but also with confidence and serenity, ready – as the Pope always calls for – to walk, build and confess.»

Parolin will work with Bertone’s team, since Pope Francis confirmed all the top Secretariat of State officials.  These include Parolin’s deputy, Msgr. Angelo Becciu; Secretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Dominique Mamberti; Undersecretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Antoine Camilleri; Assessor, Peter Bryan Wells. The Pope also confirmed in his charge the Prefect of the Pontifical Household, Msgr. Georg Gaenswein.

Parolin’s appointment means that a diplomat will once again be heading the Secretariat of State. Card. Bertone, who served as Secretary of State under Pope Benedict XVI, was not a diplomat and he often claimed that he was mostly «a Church secretary.»  Bertone’s critics often lamented and called attention to the fact that he was not a diplomat.

In fact, any pretext was good to attack Bertone. Even Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, a member of the commission appointed by Pope Francis to rationalize Vatican expenses and management, described Bertone as a «corrupt man»  in a tweet. This became public knowledge, but carried no consequences. Nobody, from inside the Vatican, said a word to defend Bertone.  During a lunch he had with the Pope on August 15,  Bertone let it be known that he had taken note of this silence, and told him that he wanted to leave as soon as possible. The Vatican press release specifically and intentionally notes that Pope Francis «will publicly thank»  Bertone in the upcoming meeting.

Angelo Sodano was also present at the lunch with the Pope on Aug. 15. The Secretary of State Emeritus is again a king maker, it seems. In fact, Parolin is widely appreciated, but he is also considered by many observers a Sodano’s man. The same observers note that Fernando Vergez, the new number two of the Vatican City State government, comes from the ranks of the Legionaries of Christ, traditionally a Sodano’s feud. Pope Francis, in the press conference he held coming back from the Rio World Youth Day, underlined that he felt nostalgia for the «old curiale,»  and Sodano is ultimately one of the oldest representatives of a certain idea of the old curia.

Vergez, a Spanish priest hailing from Salamanca, is not only a gentle and competent monsignor who improved the Vatican’s website, which under his direction has expanded to cover seven languages. He is also a Legionary of Christ, and it is rumored that he was one of those who testified that the Legion’s constitution presented to the Pope (and then approved by the Vatican) by the Legion’s founder Marcial Maciel was different from the one used within the religious congregation.

Vergez also stands out because he has been for years the personal secretary of Card. Eduardo Pironio, from Argentina, the unforgotten organizer of World Youth Days.

Vergez will replace the archbishop Giuseppe Sciacca as the second highest-ranking official in the government of Vatican City State. Last Saturday, Sciacca was appointed adjunct secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, a sort of court of last appeal for canon law. When friends of Pope Francis are asked about the reasons for giving Msgr Sciacca a new assignment, they explain that the Pope thought about strengthening the Signature, following a typical Vatican practice to justify with subtle arguments each promoveatur ut amoveatur (promote to remove). In fact, Sciacca is paying for a certain level of activism during the final period of Benedict XVI’ pontificate. His proclivity to call attention to himself and his networking had been considered expressions of careerism that needed to be downplayed.

If Benedict XVI’s team was recruited from the ranks of what used to be the  Sant’Uffizio, Pope Francis’ team will probably be comprised of Argentinians or other Spanish-speaking Church officials who know Latin America’s problems well.  These officials gained the trust of the then- Card. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, when he had to endure a difficult relation with the Vatican Secretariat of State and the Papal nuncios in Argentina over the selection of bishops in that country.

It is thus not surprising that another Argentine priest is hailed as a rising star in the Vatican. He is Msgr. Daniel Alejandro Giorgi, rector of the major seminary in Buenos Aires. Pope Francis has tracked his career from its beginning. Giorgi was also present at the August 15 lunch (which followed the Mass and the Angelus of Ferragosto celebrated by the Pope in Castel Gandolfo).

Pope Francis will probably proceed one step at a time, with no revolutionary, sudden changes. For example, the pressure to dismiss Bertone have been very strong. However, Pope Francis – who often speaks with Benedict XVI and asks for his advice–  resisted the push to oust Bertone, and got Sodano to advocate for Parolin. In fact, pressure may be counterproductive because it raises suspicions. Since Pope Francis likes to work by himself and does not involve the Secretariat of State much, he had no problem with leaving Bertone at his post until now.

According to Vatican sources, Bertone would have kept his post at least until the meeting of the group of cardinals the Pope chose to counsel him on a Curia reform, but it was Bertone himself who insisted on  retiring. The meeting will take place in the Vatican Oct. 1-3.

Pope Francis’ working methods are become ever more clear. Some insiders maintain that, beyond his lack of interest over institutionalization, Pope Francis knows very well what he is doing. He wants to see others backing his views. According to an American monsignor, Pope Francis is acting as one who  «would create a commission to decide how to get from Washington to New York. Everybody knows that the best thing is to take a high-speed train heading north, and everybody knows that a commission would reach this conclusion. The Pope, however, wants to count with a strong backing for his views.»

In fact, the «gang of cardinals» (whose appointments follow a regional diversity model, similar to that of Jesuit commissions) follow this criteria. Pope Francis agrees with the views of each of the cardinals he chose. Particularly – it is rumored – Pope Francis thought is in perfect tune with that of Card. Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston.

The same criteria informed the selection of the members of the commission on the IOR (the so-called Vatican bank) and of the commission to oversee the Vatican government. The commissions will make their proposals, but it remains to be seen what weight Pope Francis will give to these recommendations.

In the meantime, lobbies have flourished and are applying some pressures. This is why Pope Francis would have thought about– encouraged by the work developed under Benedict XVI – to institutionalize his path to renewal. It should not lead, however, to an excessive institutionalization, which Pope Francis would not approve or allow. It would be a way to protect the outcomes of his decisions and to give the Church a solid framework beyond its image, which is for many a renewed image.

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