BENEDICT XVI CONFIRMS HIS CONFIDENCE IN CARDINAL BERTONE

VATICAN CITY, 22 JAN 2010 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon L'Osservatore Romano newspaper published a Letter from the Holy Father, dated 15 January, in which he reiterates his confidence in Cardinal Tariciso Bertone S.D.B. as secretary of State. On 2 December 2009 Cardinal Bertone reached the age of 75 and presented his resignation from office, in accordance with the norms of Canon Law.

  In his Letter Benedict XVI expresses his thanks to the cardinal, recalling "the long course of our collaboration, which began with your work as consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

  "My thoughts also go to the delicate work you undertook to establish dialogue with Msgr. Lefebvre", the Holy Father adds, before going on to recall how John Paul II called Cardinal Bertone to work in the Roman Curia, where he "competently and generously filled the position of secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Those were intense and demanding years during which important doctrinal and disciplinary documents were issued", he writes.

  The Holy Father also speaks of his admiration for the cardinal's "sensus fidei", his doctrinal and canonical knowledge and his "humanitas" which, writes the Pope, "helped us to experience a real family atmosphere in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, united to a firm and determined discipline in the workplace".

  And Benedict XVI concludes his Letter: "All these qualities were the motive that led me to decide, in the summer of 2006, to appoint you as my secretary of State, and they are the reasons why, also for the future, I do not wish to forgo your vital collaboration".
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POPE PRESIDES MEETING OF HEADS OF DICASTERY OF ROMAN CURIA

VATICAN CITY, 22 JAN 2010 (VIS) - This morning in the Bologna Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Benedict XVI presided at a meeting of heads of dicasteries of the Roman Curia.
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BUDGETS OF HOLY SEE AND GOVERNORATE OF VATICAN CITY STATE

VATICAN CITY, 22 JAN 2010 (VIS) - A communique published today announces that the Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See met on 20 and 21 January under the presidency of Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.

  The order of the day "was the discussion of the consolidated budget of the Holy See and the budget of the Governorate of Vatican City State, for the year 2010".

  During the meeting Archbishop Velasio De Paolis C.S., president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, explained that "the largest cost is that concerning the payment of employees who work in the Vatican, whose number stands at 2,668. Although it is foreseen that these costs will be contained, the relative financial burden is nonetheless growing because of the adjustment of wages to the cost of living. In addition, there are the costs concerning Vatican Radio and other media institutions": the Vatican Press, L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican Publishing House and the Vatican Television Centre.

  As for the budget of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Archbishop De Paolis explained how that organisation "administers its finances autonomously and has substantially overcome the difficulties of previous financial years, enabling it to look to the future with greater confidence.

  "Apart from the costs associated with the institutional activities of the State, the governorate also meets the costs deriving from the maintenance of buildings", he added.

  The communique concludes by noting how the Holy Father visited the participants in the meeting and "listened to their observations with great interest, thanking everyone concerned for their valuable assistance to the Apostolic See".
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 22 JAN 2010 (VIS) - This evening, the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
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