With a chirograph, the pontiff establishes a Pontifical Commission that will provide specialised advice to the Council of Cardinals to "avoid the misuse of economic resources, improve transparency in the processes of purchasing goods and services, [. . .] work with greater prudence in the financial sphere" and help the eight cardinals reform the Curia.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis chose again a 'chirograph', a handwritten letter, to set up a 'technical' Commission to work alongside the Council of Cardinals already at work to reform the Vatican's economic and administrative affairs. Its task is to help "avoid the misuse of economic resources, improve transparency in the processes of purchasing goods and services" and "work with greater prudence in the financial sphere". The Pontiff had previously used the same procedure to establish a commission of inquiry into the IOR that would report to him directly its findings and deliver its entire paper and digital archive.

The Commission, the Vatican Press Office said, will gather information, report to the Holy Father and co-operate with the Council of Cardinals for the study of the organisational and economic problems of the Holy See, in order to draft reforms of the institutions of the Holy See, with the aim of a "simplification and rationalisation of the existing bodies and more careful planning of the economic activities of all the Vatican Administrations".

The Commission shall co-operate, upon request, with the eight-member Council of Cardinals whose work the pope appreciates, in order to draft a plan of reform for the Apostolic Constitution 'Pastor Bonus' on the Roman Curia.

The purposes and powers of the Commission are described in detail in the chirograph. "We have decided," the pope writes, "to establish a Commission for reference to gather accurate information on economic questions regarding the Vatican Administrations and to co-operate with the aforementioned Council of Cardinals in its valuable work, offering the technical support of specialist advice and developing strategic solutions for improvement, so as to avoid the misuse of economic resources, to improve transparency in the processes of purchasing goods and services; to refine the administration of goods and real estate; to work with ever greater prudence in the financial sphere; to ensure the correct application of accounting principles; and to guarantee healthcare and social security benefits to those eligible."

The members of the Commission are lay people, experts in "legal, economic, financial and organisational matters", already eminent consultants or reviewers for Vatican or Church economic institutions. The Commission's secretary is the only clergyman.

The eight members are Commission President Dr Joseph F.X. Zahra (Malta), Commission Secretary Mgr Lucio Ángel Vallejo Balda (secretary of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See), Jean-Baptiste de Franssu (France); Enrique Llano (Spain), Jochen Messemer (Germany), Francesca Immaculata Chaouqui (Italy), Jean-Videlain Sevestre (France) and George Yeo (Singapore).

The Dr Zahra and Dr Messemer are international reviewers of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

The Commission will begin its work as soon as possible. A first meeting is scheduled shortly after the Holy Father's return from Brazil.

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