Word: curiae
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Roman Catholic issues as celibacy and doctrinal dissent. It was a practical plea for help from the church's center to key prelates around the world. The two prime topics: how to solve a financial crisis at the Vatican; and how to improve the Byzantine operations of the Curia, the world's oldest bureaucracy, which came in for implicit criticism during last year's papal elections...
...Curia, the Pope asked the Cardinals for proposals to improve its efficiency and harmony vis-á-vis the church in various nations. Despite rumors to the contrary, John Paul plans no big shake-up in structure like that by Paul VI in 1967, and he has kept incumbent officials in place. The secrecy of last week's meeting made it unclear what reforms the Cardinals proposed. Even so, the assembly was the clearest indication yet that the Pope from Poland intends to change the way the Vatican does business...
...fact restored an ancient practice. Under Pope Leo IV (847-855), Cardinals began frequent administrative sessions that grew more important in church government. Then, in 1588, Pope Sixtus V, to increase his personal power and cope with a growing work load, established the various departments of the Vatican Curia. Meetings of all the Cardinals soon died out-except for papal elections and ceremonial occasions, known as "consistories," to install Cardinals and name new saints...
Some Cardinals wield personal power at the Vatican as members on the boards of various Curia offices. But a dozen or so Cardinals, all of whom live in Rome, have overwhelming influence through multiple membership on such boards. Regular gatherings of the entire college will give added power to the 72% of Cardinals who now live outside Rome, and provide the Pope with leverage against the Curial establishment...
Says one high source in the Curia...