VATICAN CITY
Reuters
By Steve Scherer
VATICAN CITY | Sat Jun 15, 2013
(Reuters) – Pope Francis made a key appointment to the Vatican bank on Saturday, part of a clean-up of the institution which has a history of murky financial dealings and is being closely watched by the European money-laundering watchdog.
Francis backed the naming of Monsignor Mario Salvatore Ricca as prelate for the bank, formally known as the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), a Vatican statement said.
The prelate reports to the commission of cardinals that oversees the bank, attends board meetings and has privileged access to its famously secret financial activities. The job had been vacant since 2011.
Shortly before resigning, Pope Benedict named Ernst von Freyberg, a German lawyer, to be IOR’s new chairman, replacing Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, who was ousted eight months earlier for allegedly neglecting his duties.
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