Academics interpret Francis’ welcoming of business activity, condemnation of corruption as evidence of his support for eco-social market economy
Francis “not the first Pope to denounce the evil of the mafia, but he goes much further” than predecessors, says Don Luigi Ciotti
The promotion of a “clean finance in which the ‘merchants’ are prevented from speculating in that sacred ‘temple’ which is humanity” is a cause “particularly dear to my heart”, Pope Francis said on Thursday to evaluators of the Moneyval Programme visiting the Vatican for an inspection.
Pope Francis on Monday reflected on the serious and crucial challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic in the social and economic field that, he said, demand a generous and ethical response on the part of those tasked with business management and economic development.
“The vineyard is the Lord’s, not ours. Authority is a service, and as such should be exercised, for the good of all and for the dissemination of the Gospel”, Francis pleads at the Angelus
A Vaticanist is urging the Pope to bring transparency to the “circus” of disinformation on the latest round of Holy See financial scandals.
The Vatican ‘economy minister’ has called for “transparency” around shady Church investments, and has admitted that “it is possible that the Holy See has been cheated”.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin received members of the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Measures against Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism (Moneyval) of the Council of Europe, which began its evaluation visit to the Vatican on Wednesday.
A cardinal who was fired by Pope Francis Thursday caused a “huge black hole” in Church finances by funnelling funds to offshore investments and family businesses, according to a media report.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Angelo Becciu as a cardinal and as the prefect of the Vatican saints’ department.
In a discourse delivered to the final meeting of the 28th Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Economic and Environmental Forum, Archbishop Charles Balvo, apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic and head of the Holy See’s delegation, underlined that “corruption is a real danger to the peace and security of our OSCE region.”
After Pope Francis backed a push to “free” the figure of the Virgin Mary from mob devotion, a Vatican official has denounced the mafia manipulation of religion to enslave people.
In the latest battle in his war against the mafia, Pope Francis is cracking down on dons’ devotion to Mary.
In a statement coordinated by CIDSE – the Catholic NGO for international cooperation for development and solidarity – 110 bishops and cardinals from all over the world have called on States to enforce corporate social responsibility, denouncing that “irresponsible companies are complicit in acts of violence and suffering”.
“Trafficking in persons should have no place in the human family”, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN in Geneva, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, clamoured in a session last week of the UN Human Rights Council.
The Holy See’s Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called for the prevention of corruption amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Time devoted to prayer can never become an alibi for neglecting our neighbour in need”, Pope Francis has clamoured in his message, presented today, for the Fourth World Day of the Poor November 15.
In a press release issued on Monday, the Institute for Works of Religion (Istituto per le Opere di Religione, or IOR) – commonly known as the ‘Vatican Bank’ – announced a doubling of its profits in 2019 to 38 million euros, up from 17.5 million in 2018.
Pope Francis has published an Apostolic Letter creating legislation to govern the awarding of the public contracts of the Holy See and Vatican City State, which shall follow the principles of transparency, centralised control, and competition to reduce the risk of corruption.
The Holy See Press Office announced April 15 that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, has appointed a new director and deputy director of the Vatican Financial Information Authority (AIF).
The Pope’s intention for Mass on Monday morning at the Casa Santa Marta was “for the many people who are not succeeding in coping and remain in fear because of the pandemic. May the Lord help them”, he continued, “to have the strength to cope for the good of society and the entire community.”
Last October the Vatican judiciary launched an investigation into financial and real estate investments which led to the suspension of five Holy See employees.
Pope Francis on Saturday addressed members of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State.
The President of the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority, Carmelo Barbagallo, announced Thursday the lifting of the suspension placed on it by the Egmont Group, and says it can now resume its collaboration with its peers in other countries.
A British-Hungarian Anglican priest-journalist has denounced Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “propagandist manipulation” of persecuted Christians.
The Archbishop of Malta has repeated his call for “truth, justice and accountability” in the case of murdered investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The Christian life is to remain in God, following the Holy Spirit and not the spirit of the world, which leads to corruption, and does not distinguish good from evil. Pope Francis resumed the morning celebration of Holy Mass at the Casa Santa Marta.
Pope Francis constantly reminds us that the most important task is to proclaim the Gospel. 2019 saw him doing exactly that.
A French-Spanish theologian has said that the Vatican financial scandals are signals of the “end of the pontifical monarchy”.
A politics professor and a real estate industry insider have taken down the conservative Catholic “Dan Brown” reporting on recent Vatican financial “scandals”.