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Council of Cardinals

The Council of Cardinals (also called C9 because it contained 9 cardinal members for some time), also known as the Council of Cardinal Advisers, is a group of cardinals of the Catholic Church appointed by Pope Francis to serve as his advisers. The Council was formally established on 28 September 2013.

Not to be confused with College of Cardinals.

Abbreviations[edit]

The Council of Cardinals was named under abbreviations referring to the number of cardinals advisers which, over time, it comprised:[1] C8 (8 cardinals),[2] C9 (9 cardinals), C6 (6 cardinals), C7 (7 cardinals).[1]

History[edit]

The appointment of a group of 8 advisors and one secretary to support the pope and the reform of the Roman Curia was announced on 13 April 2013, one month after his election.[3][4][5] The same group was formally established as the Council of Cardinals on 28 September of the same year by a chirograph of Pope Francis.[6][7]


Secretary of State Pietro Parolin was added as member of the Council in July 2014.[8] The Holy See used the expression "Council of the nine" (Consiglio dei nove in Italian) in September 2014.[9]


In 2018, Marco Mellino was named as adjunct secretary[10][11] of the Council's secretary Marcello Semeraro.[4] Pope Francis later removed three of the Council's 9 members in late 2018.[12][13]


Francis appointed another cardinal as member in 2020, and also replaced secretary Marcello Semeraro by Marco Mellino.[14][15]


In March 2023, three cardinal advisors were removed, and five new cardinal advisors were appointed; the three other cardinals and the secretary were kept (re-appointed). This made the current total of 9 cardinal advisers and one secretary.[16][17][18] On 24 April 2023, the new Council of Cardinals held their first meeting, which Pope Francis presided over.[19]


In February 2024, the role of women was discussed.[20] Jo Bailey Wells, Salesian Sister Linda Pocher and consecrated virgin Goiliva Di Berardino, addressed the Council "on the role of women in the Church.”[21]


On June 17, the third meeting of the Council since April 2024 began, presided by Pope Francis. The April 2024 meeting centered on Praedicate evangelium's implementation in diocesan Curias.[22]

Purpose[edit]

On 13 April 2013, the Holy See stated the cardinals had been appointed "to advise [the Pope] in the government of the universal Church and to study a plan for revising the Apostolic Constitution on the Roman Curia, 'Pastor Bonus'".[3] In a chirograph dated 28 September 2013, Pope Francis stated the Council had the goal "of assisting me in the governance of the universal Church and of studying a project for the revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus on the Roman Curia", and that "said Council will be a further expression of episcopal communion and assistance to the munus petrinum which the Episcopate across the world is able to offer".[7]


The Council of Cardinals was thus created primarily to assist Pope Francis in the reform of the Roman Curia. Said reform was promulgated in 2022 through the apostolic constitution Praedicate evangelium. The Council continues to exist and to perform various activities, despite having achieved its main goal.[1]


Due to the advisory role of the body, some publications have likened it to a privy council.[23][24]

2013[4]–2018:[12][13] George Pell

[3]

2013[4]–2023:[16][25] Reinhard Marx

[3]

2013[4]–2023:[16][25] Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga SDB (former coordinator)[28]

[3]

2013[4]–2023:[16][25] Giuseppe Bertello

[3]

2013[4]–2020:[14][26] Marcello Semeraro

[3]

Pentin, Edward (7 March 2023). . National Catholic Register. Retrieved 9 March 2023.

"Who Are the New Cardinal Members of Pope Francis' Advisory Council?"

Communiqué on the first nomination of the cardinal advisers

Chirograph establishing the Council of Cardinals