This
morning the Secretary of State released the following communique on the
Holy Father's chirograph for the establishment of a Pontifical
Commission 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:
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.”