In the impressive Clementine Hall, the pope met with his closest collaborators of the Roman Curia for his traditional Christmas address.
First, Card. Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, greeted the pope.
“Holy Father, Merry Christmas!”
Then the pope made the surprising announcement that Card. Sodano had resigned from his position as Dean, and that a new one is to be elected.
POPE FRANCIS
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Eminence! Now the cardinal bishops will elect a new dean.”
In his speech, the pope reflected on the spirit with which the Roman Curia's way of working is being reformed.
He explained the changes are not only a modification of position titles, but something more profound.
POPE FRANCIS
“The healthy attitude is rather to let oneself be provoked by the challenges of the present and to understand them with the virtues of right judgment, courage and patience.”
“Humanity is the distinctive key to read the reform. Humanity calls, interrogates and provokes. That is to say, it calls out and doesn't fear change.”
The pope called for a pastoral conversion to answer to the real needs of the people. That's why he recalled the words of Card. Carlo Maria Martini.
POPE FRANCIS
“In the last interview granted a few days before his death, he said things that should make us think: 'The Church is 200 years behind the times. Why doesn't it shake itself up? Are we afraid? Fear instead of courage? Yet, faith is the foundation of the Church. Faith, trust, courage.'”
The cardinals didn't leave empty-handed. The pope gave each of them two books on spirituality.
Then he personally wished each of his collaborators a Merry Christmas.
JMB-CT
