Fr. Lombardi: L’Espresso articles are undignified and petty

By Iacopo Scaramuzzi
Vatican Insider
February 28, 2015

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/trasparenza-finanziaria-financial-transparency-transparencia-financiera-39427/

The Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi has responded to a series of articles published in today’s issue of Italian weekly news magazine L’Espresso, on the internal struggles purportedly going on within the Vatican regarding the ongoing economic reforms. “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,” Fr. Lombardi said. “The fact that complex economic or legal issues are the subject of discussion and diverse points of view should be considered normal. In light of the views expressed, the Pope issues guidelines, and everybody follows them.” And finally, “the article makes direct personal attacks that should be considered undignified and petty.” The Vatican spokesman also announced that the Secretariat for the Economy headed by George Pell “is expected in the next few months to publish the financial statements for 2014 and the estimated budgets for 2015 for all of the entities of the Holy See, including the Secretariat itself.”

Recalling the Vatileaks days, the title today’s issue of L’Espresso, a preview of which was available yesterday, reads: “Santa Romana Spesa” (Holy Roman Expenditures) with a sub-heading which translates as: “Struggles breaks out once again in the Curia over control of finances, hospitals and real estate property. Pope Francis’ reforms are at risk. An exclusive inquiry into what is going on inside the Vatican walls”. At the heart of the inquiry, is the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Australian cardinal George Pell, especially in two of the articles titled respectively: “Peccati cardinali” (Cardinal sins) and “I lussi del moralizzatore” (The luxuries of a moralizer).

In the early afternoon of today, Vatican Radio published the director of the Vatican Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi’s response to the articles featured in L’Espresso magazine, which “purport to show internal struggles within the Vatican on ongoing economic reforms.” Regarding the articles published this morning, I will limit myself to making three very simple observations: 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. The fact that complex economic or legal issues are the subject of discussion and diverse points of view should be considered normal. In light of the views expressed, the Pope issues guidelines, and everybody follows them. The article makes direct personal attacks that should be considered undignified and petty. And it is untrue that the Secretariat for the Economy is not carrying on its work with continuity and efficacy. In confirmation of this, the Secretariat is expected in the next few months to publish the financial statements for 2014 and the estimated budgets for 2015 for all of the entities of the Holy See, including the Secretariat itself,” Fr. Lombardi concludes his statement by saying.