NEW YORK
Crux

By John L. Allen Jr.
Associate editor November 10, 2015

NEW YORK – While describing sensational recent leaks of secret materials from a papal study commission he led as “very sad,” the Vatican’s key lay financial adviser nevertheless insists those leaks “definitely” will not stop the march toward transparency and accountability on Pope Francis’ watch.

“In no way will it have an impact on all the work that’s being done, or the intention of the Holy Father to get the reform going,” said Joseph F.X. Zahra, a Maltese economist who’s the senior lay member of a new Council for the Economy in the Vatican created by Francis in 2014 to oversee financial policy.

Zahra said that if the aim of the disclosures was to slow down the pace of change, “it definitely will not work.”

Zahra spoke to Crux on Monday in New York, during…