Holy See Ambassadors visit IOR

Holy See Press Office director, Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J, stated on Tuesday that a group of about 35 Ambassadors to the Holy See were welcomed by the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR) . The visit was to give them the chance to witness the transparency, professionalism, and strict adherence to the ethical norms that are practiced by the Institute.

The ambassadors were greeted with some introductory words by Assessor to the Secretary of State, Msgr Peter Bryan Wells, who explained that this visitation is part of the Holy See’s commitment to ensuring that the monetary activities of the Vatican remain transparent. His introduction was followed by a talk by IOR’s director, Paolo Cipriani, who spoke for an hour about the mission of the Institute and the services it provides. Mr. Cipriani also responded to questions, particularly those pertaining to the IOR’s response to the money laundering investigations.

A second group of ambassadors will be visiting the IOR in the coming days to ensure that the entire diplomatic body can witness firsthand the Institute’s activities. Some time back, a group of American beneficiaries also paid a similar visit to the Institute.

Ann Schneible reports. Listen: