Legal and Doctrinal Instruments of the Economic and Financial Reform of the Roman Curia: The Fruits and Legacy of Pope Francis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14422/ee.v100.i395.y2025.001Keywords:
good governance, oversight, economic offences, international financial integrity standards, patrimonial administration, financial supervision, transparency, prudential vigilanceAbstract
This paper chronologically traces the key contributions of Pope Francis to the economic reform of the Roman Curia. Throughout his pontificate, he has progressively laid the juridical and doctrinal foundations for a rigorous, robust and unprecedented transformation. These efforts have yielded positive results and are set to leave a lasting legacy. It presents and analyzes the measures aimed at a concurrent reorganization of structures, procedures, and institutional mindset. As a result, it can be argued that a culture of professional and responsible asset management—encompassing both financial securities and real estate—now prevails within the Holy See. This culture is aligned with the social doctrine of the Church and with international standards for preserving the integrity and transparency of economic and financial systems. However, since legal frameworks are not the sole expression of ecclesial law, the most significant doctrinal pronouncements on the subject are also examined at each stage.
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