The Vatican has confirmed Cardinal George Pell is one of three cardinals who was not reappointed to the Council of Cardinals, known as the C9, which provides high-level international advice to the Pope.

Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz of Chile and Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, the archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo have also been dismissed.

So what is the Council of Cardinals and what does it do exactly?

The Council of Cardinals guides Pope Francis on matters critical to the future of the Catholic Church.

The powerful panel of advisers has been known informally as the C9 for the number of its members, but will have only six for now.

Pope Francis established the council in 2013, the first year of his pontificate.

Since his election as the first Latin American pope, Francis has been trying to reform the Italian-dominated Roman Curia to bring the Church’s hierarchy closer to its members and to enact financial reforms.

The Roman Curia is the administrative central government of the Catholic Church. The complex network — which even to insiders resembles a rabbit warren — includes the Secretariats, the Curial Congregations, the Pontifical Councils, Pontifical Commissions, the tribunals, and other offices.

While Pope Francis had a strong vision of curial reform at the time of his election, the Catholic Herald reports, he seemed uncertain how to realise it.

And so a month after his election he formed a council of cardinals from Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas to advise him.

Pope Francis’ bold reforms have reportedly encountered resistance, particularly as some departments have been closed, merged or streamlined.

In June 2018, the Council of Cardinals presented a draft document outlining structural reforms of the Roman Curia to Pope Francis for his final approval.

The next gathering of the council will take place on February 18, 2019.