The Church's money. Financial transparency"In economic matters, the Church must set a good example."How the Vatican's economic organizations are organized following Praedicate EvangeliumThe Holy See made public this morning the letter that Pope Francis sent to the members of the College of Cardinals in which he asks the cardinals for a real effort and commitment to achieve the economic reorganization of the institutions of the Holy See.
In this letter, the Pope recalls the Church's need for continual reform, the spirit on which the reform of the Roman Curia and the Apostolic Constitution are based. Predicate Evangelium.
Within this reform, the Pope emphasizes the economic reform of the Holy See. The work in this regard, the pontiff emphasizes, "has been far-sighted and has made it possible to acquire a greater awareness that the economic resources at the service of the mission are limited and must be managed with rigor and seriousness so that the efforts of those who have contributed to the mission are not dispersed. patrimony of the Holy See".
The Pope thanked the members of the College of Cardinals for their efforts in this regard, but also asked them to make an "additional effort on the part of everyone so that 'zero deficit' is not just a theoretical objective, but a truly attainable goal."
For this reason, Francis emphasizes, the ethical policies that have been implemented in recent years are joined by "the need for each institution to strive to find external resources for its mission, setting an example of transparent and responsible management at the service of the Church".
Cost reduction and avoidance of superficialities
The Pope concretizes this effort in the need for "cost reduction" and calls for services to be carried out "in a spirit of essentiality, avoiding the superfluous and selecting our priorities wisely".
Francis also called for an exercise of fraternity and solidarity among the various institutions of the Holy See, pointing to the image of families in which "those who are in a good economic situation come to the aid of the neediest members," and encouraging Vatican institutions with surpluses to "contribute to covering the general deficit."
Acting with generosity among themselves, the Pope assures us, is also "a prerequisite for asking for generosity also from the outside".
A clear request that the Pope addressed to the cardinals, asking also for "courage and spirit of service" to be able to continue the work of the Church in the future, as well as a participation in the reform process through "your knowledge and experience".
This letter adds to the numerous efforts that have been launched by the Vatican for a more effective and efficient efficient economic management and transparent of the Holy See.
