Catholic News Service has posted a video interview with Cardinal George Pell of Sydney, Australia, in which he discusses being selected by Pope Francis to be one of eight cardinals in a new papal advisory council, announced by the Holy See last weeked:
Cardinal Pell: The role of the group is not primarily about the reform of the Roman Curia. The first role is to advise the pope on the life of the Church. He has particularly pointed to the role of the Curia. Now, I don’t think it is my function at this particular point to be explaining how I think that should be done, but, you know, it is not good when the butler is photocopying and distributing 6,000 pages of private correspondence. … So, very fundamental things like that.
We’re advisors to the pope—we’re not a cabinet. The Holy Father doesn’t answer to us. And what is enormously important in this is that the prerogatives of the Successor of Peter are preserved and, please God, with this regular input on top of the input from the curial offices, it will help the Holy Father to better lead the Church.
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