Papal Impropriety: the Dark Secrets of the Vatican Bank

By David Smith
Economy Watch
March 22, 2012

http://www.economywatch.com/economy-business-and-finance-news/papal-impropriety-the-dark-secrets-of-the-vatican-bank.22-03.html

Is The Vatican Bank Acting In The Name Of The Father?

The scandals surrounding the Vatican’s finances strain credulity. At the heart of the Catholic Church, we find murder, collusion with violent crime, bribery and money laundering.

But the Church has, and will, never admit to any financial wrongdoing. With an image of sanctity to protect, the Catholic Church simply cannot admit to any illegality or immorality. In this respect, there is a parallel with the Holy See’s persistent denials of sexual abuse among the clergy. This pretence of moral purity can be maintained because the tiny Vatican state is not subject to Italian law enforcement.

Jason Berry, author of Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church, said: “The Vatican has a systematic aversion to transparency. Its power structure is honeycombed in secrecy. With the abuse scandal, the bottom line is that the Pope will not punish complicit Bishops and Cardinals.”

“The crux of the Vatican’s problems – whether in finance, or the abuse crisis – is they are an international state without a bona fide legal system. The Vatican cannot police itself and that’s why we see so many scandals.”