The Council of Cardinals met again for three days: Monday 17, Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 February. The Eminent Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Óscar A. Rodríguez Maradiaga, S.D.B., Reinhard Marx, Seán Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Giuseppe Bertello and Oswald Gracias were all present, along with the secretary of the Council, Bishop Marcello Semeraro, and the assistant secretary, Bishop Marco Mellino.

The Holy Father participated in the proceedings, with the exception of this morning, due to the Wednesday General Audience.

The last meeting of this session will take place this afternoon, in the presence of Pope Francis.

The text of the new Apostolic Constitution, reworked in the light of the contributions offered by the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and by a number of experts, was the subject of in-depth reading and revision by the Council, also following some suggestions received in recent weeks from cardinals resident in Rome who had not yet had the opportunity to send their proposals.

The reading of the text will continue at the next session in April 2020.