Pope temporarily merges four Vatican councils under two presidents

Published: 2006-03-13

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At the start of what may be a sweeping reform of the Roman Curia, Pope Benedict XVI merged the leadership of four of the Vatican's councils under two presidents. The Vatican announced March 11 that French Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, also would serve as the interim president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and that Italian Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, temporarily would head the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers. The Vatican announced that the pope accepted the retirement of the head of the migrants' council, Japanese Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao, who turned 76 March 9. To fill the vacancy, the pope united "for the time being" the presidency of the office with that of justice and peace. Cardinal Poupard's assignment as president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue filled a post made vacant after the pope Feb. 15 named its former head, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, to be the new ambassador to Egypt and the Arab League.

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