The establishment of two new congregations—the first for “Laity-Family-Life,” the second for “Charity-Justice-Peace” that includes a new office for ecology—were among the proposals for reform of the Roman Curia that were presented to the College of Cardinals, on February 12, at the opening session of a two-day meeting in the Vatican. There is as yet no definitive reform plan, and the proposals mentioned are subject to modification but they could be implemented before the whole reform is decided.
Pope Francis convened this "extraordinary consistory," as the meeting is called, to brief the cardinals on the ongoing work to reform the Roman Curia and to get their feedback. Some 165 of the 207 members of the college were present when he opened the meeting; among them the 20 new ones who will receive the red hat from the pontiff at a special ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica on February 14. More than 25 had indicated that they could not be present for reasons of health or age.
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