Pope Francis on Friday established the Pontifical Commission for
Reference on the Organisation of the economic-administrative structure
of the Holy See, a special commission to reform its economic and
administrative departments.
The Holy Father has already established a
separate commission overseeing the Institute for the Works of Religion,
commonly called the Vatican Bank.
The full text of the announcement is below:
CHIROGRAPH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS FOR THE INSTITUTION OF A PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR REFERENCE ON THE ECONOMIC-ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE HOLY SEE
CHIROGRAPH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS FOR THE INSTITUTION OF A PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR REFERENCE ON THE ECONOMIC-ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE HOLY SEE
The Holy Father, by a chirograph dated 18 July, has established a Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the economic-administrative structure of the Holy See.
The Commission
will gather information, report to the Holy Father and co-operate with
the Council of Cardinals for the study of the organisational and
economic problems of the Holy See, in order to draft reforms of the
institutions of the Holy See, with the aim of a “simplification and
rationalisation of the existing bodies and more careful planning of the
economic activities of all the Vatican Administrations”.
As explained in the Chirograph, the Committee will “offer the technical support of specialist advice and develop strategic solutions for improvement, so as to avoid the misuse of economic resources, to improve transparency in the processes of purchasing goods and services; to refine the administration of goods and real estate; to work with ever greater prudence in the financial sphere; to ensure correct application of accounting principles; and to guarantee healthcare and social security benefits to all those eligible”.
The Commission will be able to
collaborate, on request, with the working Group of eight Cardinals in
drafting a plan for the reform of the Apostolic Constitution “Pastor
Bonus” on the Roman Curia.
The aims and the appointments of the Commission are described in detail in the Chirograph itself.
The members of the Commission are laypeople, experts in “legal, economic, financial and organisational matters”, currently eminent consultants or reviewers for Vatican or ecclesiastical economic institutions. The only member of the clergy is the Secretary.
The eight members are:
Dr. Joseph FX Zahra (Malta), President Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda (Secretary of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs), Secretary
Mr Jean-Baptiste de Franssu (France)
Dr. Enrique Llano (Spain)
Dr. Jochen Messemer (Germany)
Ms. Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui (Italy)
Mr. Jean Videlain-Sevestre (France)
Mr. George Yeo (Singapore)
Dr. Zahra and Dr. Messemer are International reviewers of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
The Commission will begin its work as soon as possible.
A first meeting
is scheduled for shortly after the Holy Father’s return from Brazil.
The Holy Father hopes for a happy and productive collaboration between
the Commission and the Vatican Administrations associated with its work.