by Anura Guruge
on November 6, 2023
UDG came out in 1996 — 27-years ago.
It was UPDATED in 2013 (10-years ago) — by ‘Normas Nonnullas‘ (NN).
Now, rather than making MORE updates, it would behoove Pope Francis to promulgate a brand new, UPDATED & REVISED Apostolic Constitution that reflects today’s realties.
Yes, for a start he could totally eliminate the 120 max cardinal elector proviso. Don’t bother putting a limit — whether it be 135, 150, 175 or 250.
Just state the obvious & most logical. All cardinal electors could & should attend. End of subject. Rome has spoken.
All the updates from NN can & should be included — & maybe even updated.
There are still a few inconsistencies, even with NN, when it comes to sede vacante caused by death vs resignation. Let’s get all of those eliminated once and for all. Resignations will happen in the future.
Francis should make other changes he sees fit. The speculations about changing the rules for ‘General Congregations’ fall into this. It is his prerogative.
That said, in the end it would be curial STAFF who will draw up the final Constitution. It is said that John Paul II was heavily involved, hands-on, with UDG. That might explain why it was not as watertight as it should have been. (I discuss many of the irregularities in ‘The Conclave‘.) This time around Canon Lawyers must do the final draft.
Despite today’s news that he was feeling unwell, Francis has time. The curia might already be working on it.
So, I am ALL in favor of a new Constitution. HOW EXCITING. Smile.
Available from Amazon & Apple Store, worldwide.
Thanks for your input Anura! Yes Iām for a new Constitution ! Your right- fix up 1996 & 2013 texts, and may it all done! Cheers
Iāll comment about this and the limitation of the pre-conclave speeches to āeligibleā (i.e., not 80 or over) Cardinalsāyour previous updateāhere.
Starting with the latter, this move is not unlike the move that St. Paul VI did in 1971 when he limited the electorate to those cardinals under 80. By that I mean, the intent here is almost certainly to limit the āinfluenceā of the appointees of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI vis-a-vis the āreformsā Francis and his flunkies are rushing to implement now, post and pre Synod on Synodality. Paul wanted to limit the impact/influence of those who were uncomfortable with various aspects of Vatican II (and more importantly what came after āin the spirit of V2ā). Francis here is doing exactly the same thing. Does he have a right to? As Supreme Pontiff, of course he does. Should he? Hmmmmā¦thatās more complicated. As I often quote Jeff Goldblumās quip in the first Jurassic Park movie: āYour Scientists Were So Preoccupied With Whether Or Not They Could, They Didnāt Stop To Think If They Should.ā And that seems to be the bellwether of this pontificate: more Chaos, often for the sake of Chaos it seems.
Other commentators in The Pillar and also The Catholic Thing (to name two) seem to confirm from their sources that a new motu proprio on the election of the Supreme Pontiff is ācurrently under discussionā. And I agree, if you (that is the pope) are going to routinely keep appointing Cardinals well past the stated 120-elector limit, then that number should be ānormalizedā: no longer state a ceiling at all.
But I think, given how things are going, and with my comment about Chaos above firmly in-mind, the numeric ceiling of electors will be small potatoes compared to what other potential āreformsā might be in the offing.
Weāll see.
Yes, of course, like P6 trying to sideline the older, more conservative cardinals …
But, in this case, not as potent since P6 already took away their vote. Not been able to attend the GCs is really NOT a biggie. Their attendance aws optional to begin with. Plus, as I pointed out, they can canvass the electors — possibly even MORE EFFECTIVELY — outside of the Vatican (in a posh restaurant, hotel suite, apartment or bordello in Rome).
TODAY, as you must have seen, there are vehement DENIALS that Francis is doing ANY tickering.
I plan to do a post on this.
Thanks. Cheers.
Interesting. But, UDG 75 still remains untested. Thanks.