Pope Francis established Commission on Economic Structures
July 19, 2013: Pope Francis on Friday established the Pontifical Commission for Reference
on the Organisation of the economic-administrative structure of the Holy See, a special
commission to reform its economic and administrative departments. The Holy Father
has already established a separate commission overseeing the Institute for the Works
of Religion, commonly called the Vatican Bank.
The full text of the announcement
is below:
CHIROGRAPH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS FOR THE INSTITUTION OF A PONTIFICAL
COMMISSION FOR REFERENCE ON THE ECONOMIC-ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE HOLY SEE
The
Holy Father, by a chirograph dated 18 July, has established a Pontifical Commission
for Reference on the Organisation of the economic-administrative structure of the
Holy See. The Commission will gather information, report to the Holy Father and
co-operate with the Council of Cardinals for the study of the organisational and economic
problems of the Holy See, in order to draft reforms of the institutions of the Holy
See, with the aim of a “simplification and rationalisation of the existing bodies
and more careful planning of the economic activities of all the Vatican Administrations”. As
explained in the Chirograph, the Committee will “offer the technical support of specialist
advice and develop strategic solutions for improvement, so as to avoid the misuse
of economic resources, to improve transparency in the processes of purchasing goods
and services; to refine the administration of goods and real estate; to work with
ever greater prudence in the financial sphere; to ensure correct application of accounting
principles; and to guarantee healthcare and social security benefits to all those
eligible”. The Commission will be able to collaborate, on request, with the working
Group of eight Cardinals in drafting a plan for the reform of the Apostolic Constitution
“Pastor Bonus” on the Roman Curia. The aims and the appointments of the Commission
are described in detail in the Chirograph itself.
The members of the Commission
are laypeople, experts in “legal, economic, financial and organisational matters”,
currently eminent consultants or reviewers for Vatican or ecclesiastical economic
institutions. The only member of the clergy is the Secretary. The eight members
are: Dr. Joseph FX Zahra (Malta), President Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda
(Secretary of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs), Secretary Mr Jean-Baptiste
de Franssu (France) Dr. Enrique Llano (Spain) Dr. Jochen Messemer (Germany) Ms.
Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui (Italy) Mr. Jean Videlain-Sevestre (France) Mr.
George Yeo (Singapore)
Dr. Zahra and Dr. Messemer are International reviewers
of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
The Commission will
begin its work as soon as possible. A first meeting is scheduled for shortly after
the Holy Father’s return from Brazil. The Holy Father hopes for a happy and productive
collaboration between the Commission and the Vatican Administrations associated with
its work.