Pope Sets up Body to Overhaul Vatican

AFP
July 19, 2013

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Pope Francis blesses the faithful on July 14, 2013 in front of his summer residence in Castelgandolfo, southeast of Rome (AFP/File, Andreas Solaro)

Pope Francis set up a special commission of lay experts on Friday tasked with overhauling the economic and administrative structure of the Vatican in a radical bid to streamline and clean up the scandal-hit institution.

The commission will delve into the workings of the Vatican's bloated departments and draft reforms to tackle instances of favouritism or corruption, simplify procedures, improve transparency and put economic resources to better use.

The commission is tasked with the "simplification and rationalisation of the existing bodies and more careful planning of the economic activities of all the Vatican Administrations," the Vatican said in a statement.

It will offer specialist advice on how to "avoid the misuse of economic resources, to improve transparency... to work with ever greater prudence in the financial sphere; to ensure correct application of accounting principles," it said.

The Argentine pope has worked fast since his election in March to establish a series of specialist bodies to tackle corruption and poor management in the Vatican.

This commission, which will report directly to him, comes on the heels of the establishment of a separate body looking at how to reform the Vatican bank and the appointment of eight cardinal advisors.

The specialists come from Malta, France, Spain, Germany, Italy and Singapore.