The Authority says efforts to help the Vatican comply with international norms for fighting money laundering and terrorist financing are paying off.

A report which the Authority released last Friday says 150 suspicious financial transactions were flagged in 2017, 57 fewer than in the previous year.

Only eight of those were judged possibly to be the result of criminal activity.

Sixteen fewer reports were sent to the Promoter of Justice in the Vatican City's tribunal for investigation in comparison to the 24 sent in 2016.

The report noted none of the suspicious transactions involved financing terrorism.

Furthermore, the report confirmed a "robust reporting system and an effective application of the regulatory framework of the Holy See and the Vatican City State."

The Financial Information Authority was set up by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 as an anti-money laundering watchdog unit.

Its establishment followed decades of scandals involving the Vatican Bank.

Among the successful prosecutions of serious criminal offences the Vatican undertook in 2017 was that of Giuseppe Profiti.

Profiti was the former president of the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesù Hospital.

He was given a one-year suspended prison sentence for "abuse of power" for diverting €422,000 (£370,000/$500,000) of the hospital's funds to upgrade former Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's Vatican apartment.

The Financial Intelligence Authority reported it is also continuing with a "pro-active approach to cooperate and exchange information with its foreign counterparts to fight illicit financial activities."

Source

• NZ Herald
• National Catholic Reporter
• Catholic Herald
• Crux Now
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"I think that certainly those who continued to put before us that we need to confront this problem did a service," Father Robert Oliver said in response to a question at his first public appearance since taking up the position.

"They [the media] helped to keep the energy, if you will, to keep the movement going so that we would, honestly and with transparency, and with our strength, confront what is true," he said.

"Every single one of us begins with denial," he added. "I think the leaders of the Church, the members of the Church, we are no different from anyone else. In the beginning our reaction was ‘no this is not possible, people don't do this to children'."

Father Oliver, an American, is responsible for addressing cases of child sexual abuse by clergy.

He said the congregation is currently examining 600 cases, most of which involve abuse that allegedly took place between 1965 and 1985.

In some parts of the world, Fr Oliver said, bishops and other Catholics are just starting to become aware of the problem and their need to enact measures to protect children and deal with allegations.

In 2011, the doctrinal congregation asked every bishops' conference in the world to submit guidelines for assisting victims; protecting children; selecting and training priests and religious; dealing with accused priests; and collaborating with local authorities.

Father Oliver said "three-quarters" of the world's 112 bishops' conferences have sent in guidelines, and the congregation has just begun responding with observations and suggestions. Most of the countries that have not yet responded are in Africa, he said.

Sources:

Catholic News Service

Reuters

Image: Euronews