Thursday, February 02, 2012

“More collegiality is needed between Vatican dicasteries”

Benedict XVI wants Vatican dicasteries to work in a more coordinated manner. 

For this reason he arranged a meeting with Prefects of the Vatican Congregations and Presidents of the Pontifical Councils last week. 

As the Catholic website Korazym revealed: “The suggested method, is that used in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith when Joseph Ratzinger was at its helm."

This method used was a very collegial one, that involved staff from the dicastery, consultants and participants in the Feria IV meeting. 

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State, mentioned this in the meeting on the theme “Elaboration, publication and reception of Holy See documents”.

There are 14 long pages of specifications made according to the law of the Church and practical advice indicating the need for the Curia to redefine itself.” 

“Bertone - Korazym writes - is not claiming power. He is asking for dialogue between the dicasteries, for collegiality. He is reminding people of how the structure of the Church works. He is reminding everyone of their responsibilities.”

He launches arrows at those who oppose him. 

And finally, he reflects on the reception of Vatican documents, a question which is very dear to Benedict XVI and which should not be addressed in a simplistic way; because what at first sight appears to some to have little relevance, is in fact very important to more immediate recipients.”

The document draws attention to certain directives that are of interest. In the background “is the ever growing chaos of the media.” 

The question is twofold: “which instruments could be useful in conveying the contents of a document to the public,” with all the difficulties involved in “making people assimilate long texts.” 

“Particularly when one considers that the intention of these texts’ authors is to create a long term impact rather than their relevance just being limited to next day’s headlines.”

Then there is the issue of maintaining the confidentiality of the contents.

This is “an aspect that should be given due attention throughout the entire editing process of the documents, in order to guarantee their reliability during discussions among different parties and in order to ensure that no external reality can condition them,” considering “the evolution of modern communication technologies which seems to have created a widespread passion for the web.”