Vietnamese Cardinal¹ Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man joined his colleagues in closed-door discussions at the Vatican. 

 

His presence means a date can now be set for the conclave⁴（教皇选举会议） to choose a successor to Benedict XVI as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

 

Pope Benedict stepped down last month after nearly eight years in office, becoming the first pontiff（主教，教皇） to do so in 600 years.

 

Since Monday the elector cardinals have been holding preparatory meetings and prayers known as "general congregations" before the conclave begins. 

 

The discussions are held under an oath of secrecy（保密）, but Italian newspapers have published what they say are leaked details of the debate on problems faced by the church. 

 

Reform of the Vatican's bureaucracy - known as the Curia - and the Vatican bank have both been on the agenda, the reports say. 

 

Last year European regulators said the bank was not doing enough to combat money laundering⁵, while intrigue⁶ in the Vatican was revealed by documents leaked by Pope Benedict's butler（男管家）.

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