The measures promoted by Pope Francis are aimed at total transparency in the Vatican economy. The Holy See is becoming aware that transparency forms the basis of a good and solid reputation.
Fairness and transparency
Fairness and transparency. This is the request made by the Pope Francis to those in charge of the Holy See in economic matters. To achieve this goal, among other recent measures, it has taken the decision to transferring the management of the State Secretariat's financial and real estate assets to APSA (Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See).
The news, which was made public last November 4, came after a wave of scandals splashed the Secretary of State's Office, such as the real estate investment in London (Sloan Avenue) and the uses of Maltese Centurionwhich resulted in the Cardinal Becciu's resignation. However, the Holy Father's letter to the Cardinal Pietro ParolinThe letter from the Vatican Secretary of State, in which he informed him of his resolution, dated August 25.
A reform already underway
The Roman Pontiff's attempts to reform the curia and, in particular financial management, are not a recent issue. They date back to 2014. Since then we have seen the birth of the Council for the Economy, the Secretariat for the Economy and the figure of the Auditor General. In a interview recently granted to Il Corriere della Sera, Monsignor Nunzio Galantinoexplained that "the Pope has been thinking about this reform for some time: if there are errors in administration, he wants to know who is responsible for them."
In November 2018, in a letter addressed to the coordinator of the Council of Economy of the Holy SeePope Francis has set up a wide-ranging project of rationalization of the administration and of vigilance and transparency. Among other measures, requested that as soon as possible there should be a single center where the money would be deposited.and from which both expenditures and investments will be made. All in order to keep under control the actual flow of liquidity belonging to the Holy See, necessary for the life of the Roman Curia and the mission of the Church.
Towards full transparency
"A change of mentality is at stake -always difficult to obtain easily and quickly-, to which we address ourselves under the guidance of Pope Francis", Galantino explained to the Catholic newspaper Il Avvenire. "What is being done is now moving in the right direction and is demonstrating that the procedures we are implementing to improve the system are working.".
This series of measures is aimed at streamlining administration and making operations more traceable, in view of full economic transparency. The Holy See is becoming aware that the transparency forms the basis of a good and solid reputation..
