Pope discusses Curia reform

(ANSA) - Vatican City, November 24 - Pope Francis on Monday met for three hours with the heads of the Vatican's departments to discuss proposals by the Council of Cardinals to reform the curia. Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, said the meeting was attended by all prefects and presidents of Congregations or Pontifical councils, save for two cardinals who were unable to be present, Antonio Vegliò and Zenon Grocholewski.
    On the agenda of the meeting were the proposals drafted by the Council of Cardinals - the so-called C9 as it includes nine prelates - to reform the Curia.
    The department heads spoke and presented their observations on the proposals for reform presented at the beginning of the meeting by the secretary of the Council of Cardinals, Bishop Marcello Semeraro.
    The next C9, scheduled on December 9-11, will be considering the observations made Monday by department heads.
    No official detail has so far been provided on the draft reform of the ''Pastor Bonus'' Constitution by late Pope John Paul II that gave the various departments that run the Church their current structure in 1988.
    Meanwhile on Monday Cardinal Robert Sarah was appointed as new prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments.
    Cardinal Sarah will leave his post as president of the Pontifical council ''Cor Unum'' for Human and Christian Development, which was established by Pope Paul VI in 1971 to oversee and promote humanitarian projects.
    The council could be merged with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, according to media reports.
    No other appointments were announced as part of plans to reform the Curia, as mentioned in a number of reports.