Pope Francis appoints Card. Farrell, others to new special oversight commission

Pope Francis on Monday named the president and other members of a new commission tasked with oversight of public contracts exempted from recently enacted reform legislation designed to roll back corruption, increase transparency, and ensure best practices with reliable financial partners in procurement and resource management at the Vatican.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell is to be president of the Commission on Reserved Matters, so called because it monitors contracts that fall outside the purview of the June 1 Norms on Transparency, Oversight, and Competition for Public Contracts in the Holy See and Vatican City — things like the personal security of the pope, contracts funded by international organisations, and contracts undertaken to meet requirements of international agreements, as well as any contracts that are under pontifical secret.

Other members appointed to the Commission on Monday include the President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See — APSA — Bishop Nunzio Galantino, the Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State — the body that governs Vatican City day-to-day — Bishop Fernando Vergez Alzaga, and the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Fr Juan A. Guerrero SJ. The President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Archbishop Filippo Iannone, is to be the Commission’s Secretary.

The announcement came on the same day Pope Francis addressed the management and staff of a venerable Italian financial institution, the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti of Turin, as they celebrate the investment bank’s 170th anniversary.

“Business management always requires fair and clear conduct from everyone, which does not yield to corruption,” Pope Francis told his guests gathered in the Paul VI Hall. “Christian thought is not contrary in principle to the prospect of profit,” Pope Francis also said, “rather it is contrary to profit at any cost.”