Pope transfers Vatican Data Processing Centre
Pope Francis has transferred the Vatican’s Data Processing Centre (CED) from the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) to the Secretariat for the Economy (SPE). The Holy Father made the shuffle in the Roman Curia, which was announced by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, last week.
The Pope says the transfer is required “to guarantee a more rational organisation of the Holy See’s economic and financial information”.
Another reason cited is the eventual computerisation of all its activities “so as to guarantee the simplification of activities and the effectiveness of controls, as they are fundamental for the correct functioning of the Entities of the Roman Curia”.
The transfer of the CED will proceed according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between APSA President Bishop Nunzio Galantino and the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Fr Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves. Officials and personnel of the CED will move under the responsibility of the SPE, except those who continue to be employed by the APSA.
The new measure will come into effect on June 1.
Holy See reaffirms two-state solution for Israel-Palestine
The Holy See has once again reiterated the two-people, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem for peace in the Holy Land.
In a statement by the Holy See last week, Chief Palestine negotiator and Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Saeb Erekat, called the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. Erekat called to “inform the Holy See about recent developments in the Palestinian territories and of the possibility of Israeli applying its sovereignty unilaterally to part of those territories, further jeopardising the peace process”.
The Holy See reiterated that “respect for international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions, is an indispensable element for the two peoples to live side by side in two States, within the borders internationally recognised before 1967”.
The statement concluded saying that the Holy See hopes that “Israelis and Palestinians will be soon able to find once again the possibility for directly negotiating an agreement, with the help of the International Community, so that peace may finally reign in the Holy Land”.
Pope Mass watched live daily by Catholics in China
Thousands of Catholic faithful in the People’s Republic of China have tuned in and followed the daily liturgy celebrated by Pope Francis through an application.
The WeChat app has allowed between 7,000 and 8,000 people in China to connect in real time to broadcasts of the Mass from the Casa Santa Marta through social media.
The first live celebration took place on March 30 with just 280 views. Since then, live broadcasts of the Mass have attracted more than 10,000 viewers daily.
The Masses were followed by more than one member of the faithful connected to a single digital device, in particular on Sundays.
The liturgies were transmitted via smartphone through the app, which is China’s most popular app used commonly by young and old. A simultaneous translation, also disseminated through WeChat, allowed all those connected to follow and understand the Pope’s morning Masses.
Catholics in China have been unable to participate in the liturgies celebrated in the Chinese churches for more than three months due to the Covid-19 crisis.