On Monday Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga greeted the Pope on behalf of the group at the start of their first session, thanking Francis for his Dec. 22 address to the Roman Curia and acknowledging "his encouragement and direction for the work of the council."
"In relation to recent events, the Council of Cardinals expresses its full support of the work of the Pope, while ensuring full adhesion and support to his person and his Magisterium," it added.
The statement came out just over a week after posters criticizing the Pope were plastered on walls of the city center of Rome Feb. 4. Days later, a spoof of the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano was sent to cardinals and bishops in the Curia claiming the Pope had finally answered the five "dubia" submitted to him by four prelates in September, responding both "yes and no" to each.
In a Feb. 15 briefing with journalists on the winners of the International "Economy and Society" Prize of the Vatican's Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice foundation, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of the German bishops' conference and a member of the Pope's "Council of Nine," spoke about the issue.
When asked about the reason for issuing the statement, Marx said the intention was not to create a "great drama," but rather to voice their support.
"It was time to repeat that we are supporting the Pope" and walking beside him, Marx said, adding that the statement seems to have been "well-accepted."
"We have discussion in the Church, normal discussions, tensions, it will always be like this," he said, but explained that "at a time like this" when such vocal and public opposition has been voiced, "loyalty to the Pope is substantial" to the Catholic faith.
Established by Pope Francis shortly after his pontificate began in 2013, the council, also called "the Council of Nine," serves as an advisory body on Church governance and reform, with special emphasis on the reform of Pastor Bonus, the 1988 apostolic constitution of St. John Paul II that regulates the competencies and work of the Roman Curia.
Keywords that have come out of the cardinals' meetings so far and which have emerged as guiding principles for the ongoing Curial reform are harmonization, simplification, synodality and the Church's "missionary drive."
The council of cardinals will conclude its last session Wednesday evening, and is set to meet again April 24-26 to continue discussion on moving forward in reforming curial structures.
Elise Harris was senior Rome correspondent for CNA from 2012 to 2018.