Holy See Archives

Vatican’s financial crimes prosecution hurt by inexperience

Jun 9, 2021

European evaluators warned Wednesday that the Vatican’s efforts to investigate and prosecute financial crimes were suffering from understaffing and inexperience.

By Nicole Winfield

U.S. recognizes Vatican finance, auditing measures

Jun 3, 2021

The United States added Vatican City State to its list of countries that conform to international standards regarding the verification of the identity of persons conducting financial transactions through its institutions, including the so-called Vatican bank.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

Holy See receives permanent observer status at the WHO

Jun 1, 2021

The World Health Assembly adopted a resolution to formalize the participation of the Holy See in the World Health Organization as a nonmember state observer.

By Carol Glatz

New Vatican anti-corruption law prohibits employees from using tax havens

Apr 29, 2021

Pope Francis has signed a new anti-corruption law for the Vatican, which prohibits employees from using tax havens are investing in companies that go against Church teaching.

By Inés San Martín

Good Friday focuses attention on plight of Christians in Middle East

Mar 31, 2021

When Michael La Civita of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association considers how the agency prioritizes where to send aid, he says the best way to describe it is like a “triage,” given the crises so many countries face.

By John Lavenburg

In ‘State of the World’ speech, Pope talks Covid, Myanmar, 9/11

Feb 8, 2021

Pope Francis said Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic shows there are parts of the world that are “seriously ill,” not as a result of the virus but in its natural environment, its economic and political processes, and even more so in in its human relationships.

By Inés San Martín

Pope formally strips Vatican secretariat of state of assets

Dec 28, 2020

Pope Francis has formally stripped the Vatican secretariat of state of its financial assets and real estate holdings following its bungled management of hundreds of millions of euros in donations and investments that are now the subject of a corruption investigation.

By Nicole Winfield

Alleging sex abuse, 4 sue Vatican over handling of McCarrick

Nov 20, 2020

Four accusers of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick have filed a lawsuit against the Vatican, arguing it should be held liable for allowing the now-disgraced cleric to serve in multiple positions in New York and New Jersey when it knew of numerous allegations of sexual abuse against him.

By David Porter