Vatican hires outside consultants to study communications, accounting plans
December 19, 2013
The Vatican has engaged the consulting firm of McKinsey & Company to study the Holy See’s communications, with an eye to creating a more effective media operation.
The McKinsey consultants were engaged by the new pontifical commission that is studying the Vatican’s economic and administrative plans. In a separate move, that commission has also engaged the KMPG firm to make a thorough study of accounting procedures in Vatican offices.
Both outside firms will report their recommendations to the pontifical commission, which in turn will make suggestions to Pope Francis. A series of public-relations gaffes in recent years have called attention to the need for a coordinated communications strategy at the Vatican. Last year an American journalist, Greg Burke, was called in to advise the Secretariat of State on communications. But the various public organs of the Vatican—Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center, the newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, and the press office—work independently of each other.
The review of accounting procedures is new step toward efficiency and accountability in Vatican administration. Two teams of outside consultants, from the Promontory Financial Group and from Ernst and Young, are already working to clear up problems in Vatican financial affairs.
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Further information:
- Consultants to Improve Means of Communication in the Holy See (VIS)
- Vatican Outsources More Financial Reform (AP)
- Vatican hires two more outside firms to help clean up (Reuters)
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