In an interview on his first year in office to Avvenire, the semi-official news daily of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), the Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone, shared his thoughts on a possible reform of the Roman Curia and on the first steps in the implementation of Summorum Pontificum.
Excerpts:
Excerpts:
[Avvenire:] The possibility of restructuring of the Roman Curia has been often discussed in the past. Is an organic reform for streamlining the Curia truly under consideration?It is a hypothesis still on the level of studying and verifying the experiences of the application of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, of John Paul II, and I therefore cannot speak more of it.[Avvenire:] It has been said that the Pope "writes books and gives the impression of having decided not to lead. Even if Bertone seems to have the temptation to do so [lead]...". Do you see yourself in this description?Absolutely not. The Pope has a great awareness of his role as Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church with all the obligations and duties which this entails. For my part, I am simply his Secretary of State, with the responsibility on the workings of that structure which is at the service of the mission of the Bishop of Rome, and I try to accomplish my duty in perfect communion with Pope Benedict XVI.[Avvenire:] September 14 signals the coming into force of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. You had hoped, in these columns [of Avvenire], for a serene reception of this document. Did [the serene reception] indeed happen?Substantially, yes. Moreover, if common sense, and not ideologisms of diverse natures, prevails, I do not believe that there will be problems in the application of Summorum Pontificum. Nonetheless, I notice, when visiting several local Churches, that the knowledge of the Latin language is decreasing ever more, and maybe the occasion for its recovery should not be lost, for the heritage which it has handed down.
