VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter
Joshua J. McElwee | Feb. 18, 2014
VATICAN CITY
While the deliberations of the select group of eight cardinals advising Pope Francis on reforming the governance of the Catholic church remain secret, Tuesday gave several peeks into the shape and contour of the discussions.
Financial reform is topping the agenda, but laity and family life are also points of discussion.
The chief concern in this round of meetings, according to the Vatican: how to make sure the financial structures of the church are “at the service … of the world and not at the operational service of the Vatican itself.”
Speaking during a briefing with reporters Tuesday afternoon, Vatican spokesman Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi said the cardinals’ group, known formally as the Council of Cardinals, spent the morning meeting with a special commission reviewing the practices of the Institute for the Works of Religion, known commonly as the Vatican bank.
The bank, which is privately held and does not manage the Vatican’s budget, has been the source of controversy for years because of reports of vague withdrawals and deposits made to and by the organization.
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