Council of Cardinals to weigh consolidation of pontifical councils

The Council of Cardinals have began four days of meetings on July 1, with the focus expected to be on reorganization of the Roman Curia.

After the last meeting of the Council of Cardinals, in April, the Vatican announced that the group had completed its study of the nine congregations that compose the most important offices of the Roman Curia, and would now move on a study of pontifical councils and commissions.

Vatican observers expect that some of these bodies will be eliminated, or merged into other offices, as the Pope streamlines the Vatican bureaucracy.