“Sincerely, I don’t think about amnesty or ask for grace,” Becciu said. “I hope the Court of Appeal recognizes my innocence. Do you know I still can’t understand what I’ve been accused and convicted of?”
That's why he's being quite vocal about how his accusers are committing one of the sins whose gravity cries to Heaven for justice and that multiple Cardinals think he's innocent.
Seems like a priest shouldn’t have so much money in a personal bank account. Also when family and friends benefit you benefit. Evidence sure gets in the way of the words coming from his mouth.
Ya know, this article, in light of the other article published pertaining to the operating budget deficit in the Vatican, REALLY makes one wonder how much of the budget deficit can be attributed to fraud and misappropriation of funds. It might be easy for one to say that "the Vatican should get a real American audit and the mess would be cleaned up," however I fear that the mismanagement is so severe that even in a public-company style audit finding sources of cash flow would be nearly impossible. An officer of an organization being able to take an envelope consisting of enough cash to be detained at customs is absolutely mind-blowing. I think the Pillar does tremendous work highlighting some serious issues in the Church but I think only a saint and a genius will be able to figure out how to make this engine run properly
An American style audit would be based on American style book-keeping, which they don't use. It wouldn't work. Maybe a group of forensic accountants with free rein to demand, receive, and dig could manage it, followed by the imposition of an American or English style of book-keeping. The trouble is, even if only a few Cardinals actually got caught with their hand in the cookie-jar, I expect a lot more are afraid that they might, because I expect that they are not currently keeping straight which cookie-jar is even theirs to use for what purposes. Many will work against the audit for that reason alone.
Yes, exactly! GAAP vs IFRS accounting aside - untangling that spider web of hands and cookie jars would be nothing short of miraculous. I truly believe the Holy Spirit will have to raise a saint to accomplish an effective reform...
Hmmmm. St. Matthew the Apostle is already the patron of accountants and bookkeepers, so the next Saint will have to be specific to forensic accountants... or sidle over to St. Jude as the patron Saint of impossible financial conundrums.
A forensic audit would be useful if given free rein etc. Whether the standard involved is GAAP or IFRS (I am familiar with both) doesn't matter that much as long as the audit is rigorous.
The last person who tried to get to the bottom of the Vatican's finances ended up being railroaded in his home country for trumped up charges of child abuse.
Sometimes the purpose of punishment is deterrence or retribution. Sometimes the purpose is educational: Now that you know this is very, very wrong, go figure out why and what you should have done instead.
Exactly my thoughts. I suppose it's possible that he really believes that he did nothing wrong if he's so entrapped in the curial culture/mindset/rationalization, but that doesn't excuse criminal behavior or a badly formed conscience, and hopefully he would have the humility to revise his views.
This has got to be the most Italian bureaucrat statement I’ve seen in a while. “I don’t understand! My brother is a great guy why would I pick some random over him? I didn’t pocket the money myself! I’m not that stupid! Yes I know recording my boss wasn’t a good look but that was not espionage! Just a little blackmail at best… it’s not like it’s that hard to say nice things about me!”
This is about as hilarious and honest as Berlusconi justifying his Bunga Bunga parties. I don’t know how Ed and JD accepted all of this with a straight face. Any reform of the Holy See must address the Italian bureaucratic culture that has been the norm for centuries. I’m just grateful Becciu is just a greedy old sod and not also a lecherous one. Makes for a slightly less sickening change of pace.
Only people with insider information (like The Pillar, which is why we're a dual-subscriber family) could tell us laypeople across The Pond whether His Eminence is an example of widespread Vatican culture, or whether he is an aberration. I hope for the latter.
Also, a Vatican bankruptcy (see reporting on Peter's Pence) would seemingly put most of the people like His Eminence out of a job, or at least make his wallet very much lighter. That wouldn't be a bad thing. It might even trump the loss of good works the Church could officially do if she did go (financially) bankrupt. (I see a future where corporal works of mercy are accomplished by lay-run, clergy-involved non-profits.) Maybe then we could get a public accounting firm to take a kind of conservatorship of the Vatican's finances and get this crap straightened out!
“Sincerely, I don’t think about amnesty or ask for grace,” Becciu said. “I hope the Court of Appeal recognizes my innocence. Do you know I still can’t understand what I’ve been accused and convicted of?”
That's why he's being quite vocal about how his accusers are committing one of the sins whose gravity cries to Heaven for justice and that multiple Cardinals think he's innocent.
Seems like a priest shouldn’t have so much money in a personal bank account. Also when family and friends benefit you benefit. Evidence sure gets in the way of the words coming from his mouth.
Ya know, this article, in light of the other article published pertaining to the operating budget deficit in the Vatican, REALLY makes one wonder how much of the budget deficit can be attributed to fraud and misappropriation of funds. It might be easy for one to say that "the Vatican should get a real American audit and the mess would be cleaned up," however I fear that the mismanagement is so severe that even in a public-company style audit finding sources of cash flow would be nearly impossible. An officer of an organization being able to take an envelope consisting of enough cash to be detained at customs is absolutely mind-blowing. I think the Pillar does tremendous work highlighting some serious issues in the Church but I think only a saint and a genius will be able to figure out how to make this engine run properly
An American style audit would be based on American style book-keeping, which they don't use. It wouldn't work. Maybe a group of forensic accountants with free rein to demand, receive, and dig could manage it, followed by the imposition of an American or English style of book-keeping. The trouble is, even if only a few Cardinals actually got caught with their hand in the cookie-jar, I expect a lot more are afraid that they might, because I expect that they are not currently keeping straight which cookie-jar is even theirs to use for what purposes. Many will work against the audit for that reason alone.
Yes, exactly! GAAP vs IFRS accounting aside - untangling that spider web of hands and cookie jars would be nothing short of miraculous. I truly believe the Holy Spirit will have to raise a saint to accomplish an effective reform...
Hmmmm. St. Matthew the Apostle is already the patron of accountants and bookkeepers, so the next Saint will have to be specific to forensic accountants... or sidle over to St. Jude as the patron Saint of impossible financial conundrums.
St. Dismas is the patron saint of thieves, he seems appropriate.
A forensic audit would be useful if given free rein etc. Whether the standard involved is GAAP or IFRS (I am familiar with both) doesn't matter that much as long as the audit is rigorous.
And if they agree not to charge the auditor with espionage
The last person who tried to get to the bottom of the Vatican's finances ended up being railroaded in his home country for trumped up charges of child abuse.
Money is the root of all….but me thinks he doth protest to much!
Methinks his Eminence doth protest too much!
"Do you know I still can’t understand what I’ve been accused and convicted of?"
But this part seems all too likely to be true! He doesn't seem to have much of a grip on financial propriety.
Sometimes the purpose of punishment is deterrence or retribution. Sometimes the purpose is educational: Now that you know this is very, very wrong, go figure out why and what you should have done instead.
As the kids say these days, "Porqué no los dos?"
Or the gif: "Both? Both. Both is good."
Exactly my thoughts. I suppose it's possible that he really believes that he did nothing wrong if he's so entrapped in the curial culture/mindset/rationalization, but that doesn't excuse criminal behavior or a badly formed conscience, and hopefully he would have the humility to revise his views.
Reminds me of a classic wise guy.
> he had actually received private assurances of support from other cardinals.
Every time someone claims this about himself (I won't dredge up who claimed it last time), I think of "The lurkers support me in email".
I wonder if it was the same cardinals that penned a letter of support for Bishop Stika
I have to ask… which Bible is Becciu reading?
This has got to be the most Italian bureaucrat statement I’ve seen in a while. “I don’t understand! My brother is a great guy why would I pick some random over him? I didn’t pocket the money myself! I’m not that stupid! Yes I know recording my boss wasn’t a good look but that was not espionage! Just a little blackmail at best… it’s not like it’s that hard to say nice things about me!”
This is about as hilarious and honest as Berlusconi justifying his Bunga Bunga parties. I don’t know how Ed and JD accepted all of this with a straight face. Any reform of the Holy See must address the Italian bureaucratic culture that has been the norm for centuries. I’m just grateful Becciu is just a greedy old sod and not also a lecherous one. Makes for a slightly less sickening change of pace.
What a piece of work. How does someone like this get the red hat to begin with?
“It hurt me to have been presented as a ‘business cardinal’, Ah, his feelings are hurt.
Only people with insider information (like The Pillar, which is why we're a dual-subscriber family) could tell us laypeople across The Pond whether His Eminence is an example of widespread Vatican culture, or whether he is an aberration. I hope for the latter.
Also, a Vatican bankruptcy (see reporting on Peter's Pence) would seemingly put most of the people like His Eminence out of a job, or at least make his wallet very much lighter. That wouldn't be a bad thing. It might even trump the loss of good works the Church could officially do if she did go (financially) bankrupt. (I see a future where corporal works of mercy are accomplished by lay-run, clergy-involved non-profits.) Maybe then we could get a public accounting firm to take a kind of conservatorship of the Vatican's finances and get this crap straightened out!
There is a saying among priests, "If you want to lose your faith, accept a posting in Rome."
That's what happened to Martin Luther.
This is the wretch this pope thought fit to head Causes of the Saints. Disgusting.