New Vatican leaks aim to undercut Secretariat for Economy

February 27, 2015

An Italian newspaper has printed leaked documents detailing the spending of the new Secretariat for the Economy, in an obvious effort to discredit the work of the powerful new Vatican office.

The documents published in L’Espresso showed that the Secretariat for the Economy, which has responsibility for supervision of the entire Vatican budget, had spent about €500,000 ($560,000) in its first six months. The bulk of that money was spent in an extensive review of the budgets of every Vatican office. However, L’Espresso also noted a payment of over $2,500 to a noted tailor of clerical vestments.

The leaking of these internal documents bore testimony to the mounting resistance within the Vatican against the economic reforms spearhead by Cardinal George Pell, the prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy. The leaks also provided a reminder of the “Vatileaks” scandal, which plagued Pope Benedict XVI and led many cardinals to call for a thorough reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.

Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, issued a public statement condemning the leaks. “Passing confidential documents to the press for polemical ends or to foster conflict is not new, but is always to be strongly condemned, and is illegal,” he said. The attack in L’Espresso was “undignified and petty,” he added.

Father Lombardi went on to defend the Secretariat for the Economy against its critics, saying that the office has been working “with continuity and efficacy.” He said that the Secretariat would soon be releasing full financial statements for 2014 and budgets for 2015, covering the entire operations of the Vatican—“including the Secretariat itself.”

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Pope Francis' Finance Czar Cardinal George Pell Comes Under Intense Scrutiny Over Spending (AP)
• Fr Lombardi, SJ: Statement on L'Espresso articles (Vatican Radio)
• Pell presses Vatican’s financial clean-up despite resistance (Crux)