Changes at the Vatican as Francis I starts to reform the Curia.

The honeymoon is over at the Vatican and changes are now starting to take place. The number two position in the Vatican hierarchy has recently changes with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone who was quite a controversial figure in the corridors of power there being replaced by the much younger 58 year old Archbishop Pietro Parolin. This is just the start as Francis I wields the axe and is determined to streamline and reform the Curia, the administrative heart of the Catholic Church. If you look at the transits to the Vatican natal chart, then all is clearly revealed.

Ok what have we got here? There are two areas of this chart which are under duress. The Ascendant at 4:48 Virgo is exactly being opposed now by spiritual and dissolving Neptune, so the structure of the Vatican is undergoing a big change. The reason is seen through the position of natal Neptune and the houses it rules. Neptune natally is in the 12th house so these changes are going to be spiritually based and behind the scenes, the inner workings of the Vatican. Pisces on this chart ruled by Neptune affects the 7th house of relations between the Vatican and the wider world, which will be changing with a South American pope now safely in place and also the 8th house of finance and banking as well as enforced change and power. The Vatican bank has been in serious trouble in the past year and it was officially suspended in Italy for corruption. Francis earlier this month tightened controls on the operation of the bank and this work will continue apace.

The other area of stress is shown by this chart having a Uranus return and with transiting Pluto making a square to Uranus as well. Aquarius is the sign ruled by Uranus and you can see it on the cusp of the 6th house of service and everyday work. This is radical structural reform and transformation to the administrative part of the Vatican, the Curia itself, the very reform that Francis promised would happen. With transiting Saturn moving through the 3rd house of communication and the message that goes out from this institution, you can see that is is more serious humble and conservative in nature, again reflecting the image that Francis want to portray and his influence over the church.

With these outer planets all moving very slowly, this work is a long term project that should start to bare fruit in the next couple of years. The reform of the Vatican and the Catholic Church has well and truly begun.