Posted on 04/25/2013 9:50:55 AM PDT by haffast
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis has indicated for the first time that he may make changes to the Vatican's scandal-ridden bank as part of a broad review of the Holy See's troubled administration.
Before Francis was elected last month, many of the cardinals who went on to choose him expressed concern about the harm done to the Church's image by three decades of scandals at the bank, which Italian magistrates are now investigating for money laundering.
A report last year by Moneyval, a European anti-money laundering body, found that the bank, officially the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), had failed to meet some of its standards on fighting financial crimes, and called for increased oversight.
In an impromptu sermon at a Mass for Vatican employees including staff from the bank, the pope said they should concentrate on the true mission of the Church and that Vatican departments were needed "only up to a certain point".
snip
"I know that people from the IOR are here, so excuse me. Offices are necessary but they are necessary only up to a certain point."
It was the first time Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, had mentioned the Vatican bank in public since his election.
The account of the sermon in the Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, omitted the mention, however. Italian media said this was a sign of conflict within the Vatican on how to deal with the bank.
Vatican sources have said the pope could restructure the IOR and has the power to close it if he wants to.
snip
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said he was not aware of any imminent changes affecting the bank.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Pray for the safety of our wonderful Pope Francis. God bless him.
He might have been better off teeing the whole thing up, and breaking it to the world as a fait accompli ...
But he's in the hot seat, not me.
He better be careful. John Paul I took office in the midst of a Vatican Bank scandal and died suddenly and mysteriously a month later.
Michael Corleone is coming in to clean house. Look out below.
Alternate title: “A Sewer Runs Through It”.
Francis I...??
I thought this “I” business was settled on his first day?
There is no “I” assigned, until there is a “II”.
It was wonderful to see him in St. Peter’s Square last week and again at the window on Sunday.
The crowds were amazing and the weather was perfect.
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