Cardinal Pell flexes muscles over Vatican audit

Cardinal George Pell has crossed swords over an audit with those responsible for Vatican real estate. They overstepped the mark, he says.

Pell is the Vatican Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy.

He says the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (ASPA) “overstepped its authority” by instructing other Vatican offices to submit financial information to Price Waterhouse Cooper.

“There is no ongoing audit” by the outside accountants, he has reminded officials.

The Vatican’s own auditor general, Libero Milone, has primary responsibility for all audits, he told them.

He and Milone have written to each of the Vatican offices telling them “with deep regret” that they should not comply with the APSA directive.

APSA and Pell have been at odds for some time because of Pell’s plans to reform all the Vatican’s financial affairs.

Last year APSA persuaded Pope Francis to issue a motu proprio (an edict issued by the Pope personally) returning control of Vatican financial assets from the Secretariat for the Economy (ie Pell) back to APSA.

The Vatican also cancelled a Price Waterhouse Cooper audit Pell ordered last year.

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