Council of Cardinals meeting in the Vatican

Vatican News

The June meeting of the Council of Cardinals began Monday in the presence of Pope Francis.

The “C9” was created by Pope Francis in 2013 to assist him in the work of reforming the Roman Curia and in the governance of the Church. This week's meeting is the third time the Council has met in 2024.

April's work

The last session, in April, focused on the implementation of the apostolic constitution Preaching the Evangelium in the diocesan Curias; and on conflict zones across the world – “particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine” – with Pope Francis and the cardinals expressing hope “that efforts to identify avenues for negotiation and peace can be increased “.

In other recent meetings, Council members discussed the “role of women in the Church” and listened to the reflections of two women, Sister Regina da Costa Pedro and Professor Stella Morra.

The “new” C9

The Council of Cardinals, following the renewal of the body by the Pope on March 7, 2023, is currently composed of Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State; Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State and the Governorate of the Vatican City State; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, archbishop of Kinshasa; Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay; Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston; Juan José Omella Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona; Gérald Lacroix, archbishop of Quebec; Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg; and Sérgio da Rocha, archbishop of San Salvador de Bahia. The secretary is Mgr Marco Mellino, titular bishop of Cresima. The first meeting of the new C9 was held on April 24.

The creation of the Council of Cardinals

The Council was created by Pope Francis with a chirograph of September 28, 2013with the task of assisting him in the government of the universal Church and of considering a project of reform of the Roman Curia.

The latter was achieved with the new apostolic constitution Preaching the Evangeliumpublished on March 19, 2022.

The first meeting of the C9 was held on October 1, 2013.