Rome, Aug 29, (dpa/GNA) – Around 200 cardinals, met Pope Francis at the Vatican on Monday, for a plenary session.
At the meeting, the head of the Catholic Church wanted to discuss the new constitution of the Holy See, called “Praedicate Evangelium” (Proclaim the Gospel), which has been in force since the beginning of June.
The Holy See gave few details before the two-day meeting.
Even on Monday afternoon, communication was initially limited to a single sentence: “At the Vatican, in the presence of the Holy Father, Francis, the meeting of cardinals on the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium, is under way.”
The only public date scheduled is a closing Mass on Tuesday, with the 20 cardinals who were newly appointed on Saturday.
The 85-year-old pontiff, wants to reform his church and the new constitution, is part of that effort.
Among other things, he wants to open up the Vatican authorities so that lay people or women, for example, also have access to leading offices.
It is one of the pope’s key reform projects, and aims to promote a more effective spread of the faith, and encourage a more constructive dialogue, Francis wrote in the document’s preface.
As part of the reform, Francis has reorganized the authorities of the Holy See, and made it possible for women to head these so-called dicasteries.
For many, however, the pope’s plans do not go far enough. A group of women protested on Monday morning, next to St Peter’s Basilica with red umbrellas, on which they called for more say for women, with phrases such as “Reform means women” or “More than half the church.”
GNA