WelCom October 2022
In August Cardinal John Dew went to Rome to attend a consistory of new cardinals, joining new and existing cardinals from all around the globe. Twenty new cardinals were created at the consistory, geographically promoting a globalised Church. Pope Francis has created cardinals at eight consistories held at roughly annual events beginning in 2014 – a total of 121 cardinals from 66 countries. At this year’s gathering of cardinals, the focus was on Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), the Pope’s Apostolic Constitution on the reform of the Curia. Here is Cardinal John’s reflection on his involvement in the universal consistory.
In late August I was privileged to be in Rome for a consistory of new cardinals which was then followed by some days of meetings with Pope Francis and as many cardinals from around the world who could be present. We were asked to reflect on the Apostolic Constitution which Pope Francis promulgated on 19 March this year and which came into effect on Pentecost Sunday. The title of this constitution is Praedicate Evangelium (or ‘Preach the Gospel’).
Almost 200 cardinals gathered in Rome, including those cardinals who are now over 80 years of age and are no longer eligible to vote in the election of a new pope. But Francis wanted them there so they could be part of the conversations regarding the reform of the Roman Curia.
The first words of this constitution focus on Jesus’ mandate to the Apostles, and therefore on the mandate that the whole Church must carry out until the end of time, ‘to go and proclaim the Gospel.’ We were asked to reflect on how the ‘pastoral and missionary conversion’ of the Church can be implemented.
The Holy Father spoke early in the document about how in the meetings held before the Conclave that elected him in 2013, most of the cardinals of the world emphasised the new Pope would need to work on the reform of the Curia.
The Roman Curia is constituted of what are known as ‘dicasteries’. Pope Francis has re-listed these dicasteries so that rather than the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith coming first in importance, it is now the Dicastery for Evangelisation which has combined two dicasteries:
- the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples; and
- the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.
In Canon law all of the dicasteries are seen as equal but Pope Francis wanted everyone to know that preaching the gospel is the first mission of the Church. This Constitution therefore gives a central place to the missionary and evangelising nature of the whole Curia. Pope Francis emphasised his great desire to explicitly proclaim the Gospel with charity and that the proclamation of faith is everyone’s responsibility. This document – Praedicate Evangelium – stresses to all of those Roman departments that the whole Church is about proclaiming the Gospel.
In the document Francis also spoke about the fact that laywomen and laymen could be appointed to positions of authority in the Curia. This conversation became a bit of a struggle when some attending these meetings protested and wanted to ensure their own power and authority was protected. The Pope’s argument – and support came for him in this argument – was that all ministry flows through Baptism. In our English language group (there were four English four Italian and four French groups) some of the participants protested and maintained the Pope was not able to appoint laity to such positions. These voices of protests were mostly heard in the small groups and when we reported back in the Synod Hall there was great support for Pope Francis and what he is doing.
Basically, Pope Francis is continuing to try to reclaim the vision of the Second Vatican Council. I was very impressed in one of our language group sessions when a Cardinal spoke up and said ‘Jesus gave power and authority not just to the 12 apostles but to the 72 disciples. All disciples are able to preach by charity and kindness, the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church and that means through ALL of the baptised.’
Another Cardinal spoke up in defence of Pope Francis saying, ‘what matters is delegation given by the Pope and that the Pope has jurisdiction which he is able to delegate; his jurisdiction is not by ordination but by election, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is key to that authority.’
While the meeting was clearly about the reform of the Roman Curia, Pope Francis’ document sends a message to the Church throughout the world, including us here in New Zealand. Just as he has called all the dicasteries of the Roman Curia and all their personnel to ‘pastoral and missionary conversion’ so he is reminding us all, as the baptised people of God, we are all summoned every day to that same conversion.
Our National Synod Synthesis for the New Zealand Church spoke about the need for formation for all of us, and that is true. But at this meeting in Rome, Pope Francis reminded us that continuing formation efforts are not enough; what we need also and above all is continuing conversion and renewal. Without personal renewal, efforts at practical improvements in the Church will be in vain.