In April, Pope Francis made several important decisions. For example, he made relevant changes in the Diocese of Rome: he removed both the auxiliary bishop Daniele Libanori and the vicar general, Angelo de Donatis. For the latter, Francis said he would take the necessary time to find a replacement for him.
The Pope also surprisingly regained the title of “Patriarch of the West,” as reflected in the new pontifical yearbook of 2024. Although the reasons for this decision were not known, the advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople believes it is a nod to the Orthodox Church.
NIKOS TZOITIS
Advisor, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Why did the Pope make these gestures? Because, at heart, the Pope is very much about the importance of the synodality.
To make important decisions again, we must be united.
Continuing with important decisions, that month, Vatican journalist Javier Martínez-Brocal published a book with Pope Francis on Benedict XVI. In it, Francis made it clear that he will not reform the conclave.
POPE FRANCIS
There won't be anything. All popes have reformed the conclave. All of them. I have not yet reformed it because it seems like a secondary thing to me.
In April, the head of the Vatican doctrinal office appeared publicly before the media for the first time to present Dignitas Infinita: a document that says abortion, sex change and surrogacy are grave violations of human dignity.
CARD. VÍCTOR MANUEL FERNÁNDEZ
Prefect, Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
This does not mean not understanding the sensitivity of the person who desires a child that is truly his or her own, but there is an invitation to transcend this desire because we are talking about the dignity of the person which is a much greater thing than a desire that one may have.
In April, Pope Francis also left the Vatican quite a bit. He made two pastoral visits like this one, when he met with 200 children in a church on the outskirts of Rome.
He even made a quick trip to Venice. Among multiple meetings there, he met with the inmates of a women's prison, to whom he gave the image of a virgin as a symbol of hope.
But that's not all. In April of 2024, Pope Francis also confirmed the longest trip of his pontificate—11 days to visit four countries: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.
CA
TR: AT
