Vatican prosecutors are investigating a potential financial conflict of interest for the former head of the Holy See’s financial watchdog authority, which leads anti-corruption efforts and other financial oversight duties in the Vatican. René Brülhart, who served as president of the Financial Information Authority until November 2019, was paid as a consultant by the Secretariat … Read more
A now-indicted senior investment manager at the Vatican Secretariat of State duped the Holy See into investing millions with a fake proposal to fund a highway in North Carolina, according to Vatican prosecutors. Enrico Crasso. The Pillar file photo Enrico Crasso is one of 10 individuals indicted by Vatican prosecutors July 3 for financial crimes. … Read more
The report from Moneyval, published Wednesday but originally expected to be released in April, presents the findings of a two-week onsite inspection of Vatican financial institutions last year, which wrapped up in October. The visit was the first time inspectors had visited the city state since 2012. The report primarily focused on the Institute for … Read more
The signers of a May 13 letter which pressed the U.S. bishops’ conference to suspend its conversation on “Eucharistic coherence” include 47 diocesan bishops, five of whom are cardinals, along with 21 auxiliary bishops. The letter and signatory list, sent May 13 to bishops’ conference president Archbishop Jose Gomez, urged that “all Conference wide discussion … Read more
The Pillar reports: A group of more than 60 bishops has written to Archbishop Jose Gomez this month, pressing for the U.S. bishops’ conference leadership to suspend discussion “Eucharistic coherence” at the USCCB’s June meeting, despite a recent letter from the Vatican’s doctrinal office counseling the bishops to continue discussing the matter. Discussion on the … Read more
Bishop Richard Stika of Knoxville, Tennessee, sidelined an investigator appointed to scrutinize allegations of sexual assault and misconduct committed by a diocesan seminarian. The bishop told The Pillar he intervened because he did not believe the investigator appointed by a diocesan review board was competent for the task, and that he is convinced of the … Read more
The Vatican has received multiple allegations of administrative misconduct against Bishop Richard Stika of Knoxville, and is expected to authorize an investigation under the terms of Vos estis lux mundi, The Pillar has learned. Complaints filed against the bishop allege that Stika impeded or restricted investigations into accusations of serial sexual misconduct by a seminarian … Read more
Italian authorities announced on Monday that an arrest warrant has been issued for Gianluigi Torzi, who brokered the Vatican’s 2018 purchase of a London property. The Italian court order raises a startling assertion from Vatican authorities: that the Secretariat of State acted outside its legal authority when it invested hundreds of millions of euros of … Read more
According to media reports, Cardinals Cupich and Tobin convinced the Vatican Secretary of State’s office to stop Gomez’s statement from being released. The U.S. bishops’ conference held back a statement on incoming President Joe Biden Wednesday morning, after officials from the Vatican Secretariat of State intervened before the statement could be released. The statement, from … Read more