Timely and Inspiring Prophetic Analysis so you can Prepare.

While Pope Francis is the most compelling human moral point of reference in the world today (the Bible is the only true moral point of reference), the Vatican seems mired in its own scandals. Pope Francis’ remarkable success on the global stage is not really matched by comparable effectiveness as a manager at the Vatican. Even though Pope Francis appointed a new tribunal within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to handle “abuse of office” charges against bishops accused of covering up the priestly sex-abuse scandal, the tribunal is essentially going nowhere. It is mired in conflicting jurisdictions and unclear lines of authority, and so far, has not taken up a single case. Also, the new Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, a body Francis created to lead the reforms in the church to prevent further abuse scandals; it too has been bogged down in bureaucratic difficulties. Some have been led to wonder if Pope Francis is really serious about reform.

And though the pope has a remarkable knack for finding ways to move the world socially and politically on issues he cares most about, he can’t seem to get the financial scandals under control either. Recently, the Vatican suspended the audit contract with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) before the audit even began.

Pope Francis was elected so we are told, partly because the cardinals wanted a pope that would handle the internal ecclesiastical governance that had been adrift since the later years of John Paul II. They also needed someone who would choke off future scandal and make the church a positive example (or at least make it appear that way, which begs the question of whether Pope Francis is really serious about reform).

Apparently not. The old saying still holds true that Rome never changes. What’s striking about the PwC audit is that it came to such an impasse in the first place, which has not inspired confidence that Francis is able or willing to deal with the issue. The PwC contract was apparently so fraught with issues that the senior officials at the Vatican can’t seem to agree on the best approach.

If Pope Francis were truly in earnest about financial reform, he would not have allowed things to deteriorate like this, or would have reacted more vigorously once they did.

While the pope certainly has more important fish to fry on the global political and religious stage, still, there’s an unavoidable irony in that a pope elected in part to remedy a perceived “governance gap” could end up being seen instead as having perpetuated it.

Rome is still the same today as it always was. When God’s truth through the scriptures is rejected boundless wickedness follows in its train. Rome will never clean up her filth. “The iniquity and spiritual darkness that prevailed under the supremacy of Rome were the inevitable result of her suppression of the Scriptures; but where is to be found the cause of the widespread infidelity, the rejection of the law of God, and the consequent corruption, under the full blaze of gospel light in an age of religious freedom?” The Great Controversy, page 586

Source References

• Is a ‘governance gap’ emerging under Pope Francis?