VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
The 58-year old German lawyer Von Freyberg will only be in Rome three days a week. The nature of his work, as producer of warships, is controversial. Fr. Lombardi denies rumours of internal fighting within the Church
GIACOMO GALEAZZI
Vatican City
The Vatican has hired a new part-time president to head its bank, the IOR. The new president will be in Rome three days a week and in Frankfurt for four days. Details of his salary are being kept secret but what is certain is that he will keep his job outside the Vatican. The man chosen for the job is the German lawyer Von Freyberg (a member of the Order of Malta), who is also president of Blhom-Vhoss Group shipyard in Hamburg. “I don’t know if they make warships or ships in general, what I do know is that Von Freyber organises pilgrimages to Lourdes,” said Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, who urged the public not to “not to be hasty in criticising him for his line of work – shipbuilding.”
“His appointment – the Vatican spokesman said – was the result of an in-depth research process, led by people who are deeply familiar with the nature and purpose of the Holy See. I don’t think the media should make superficial assessments of the new president, showing a lack of coherence with John XXIII’s Pacem in terris doctrine.” As the Vatican spokesman spoke to journalists, he was handed a note in real time, which contained a clarification: “the company no longer manufactures ships; that se4ction has been sold. Now it only does marine engineering.” Having read the brief note, Fr. Federico Lombardi broke into a liberating smile and commented: “Pacem in terris is safe, all has been resolved.”
But the company’s website still contains information about its work in the design of frigates and armed ships. During his meeting with journalists, the Vatican spokesman gave a detailed description of the selection process that led to the choice of Ettore Gotti Tedeschi’s successor. “The procedure began before last summer, when the Supervisory Council suggested the Vatican hire a manager selection agency to help with the selection process. The agency conducted thorough research into how the IOR works and the kind of qualities a potential candidate would be required to have.” According to Fr. Lombardi, “the agency presented the board with 40 candidates and the board carried out a progressive selection, narrowing the number down to 6 – those it considered to be most suited to the job following a series of interviews with the board. A final list of three candidates was then handed to the Council of Cardinals.”
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