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Vatican City, Apr 25, 2016 / 05:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The recent suspension of an audit of Vatican finances by a major accounting firm shed light on a lively debate within the Sacred Walls about the balance of power between the Secretariat of State and the Secretariat for the Economy.

The debate is, in fact, a result of the Curia reform begun by Pope Francis.

The international auditing firm Pricewaterhouse Cooper (PwC) was hired Dec. 5 by the Secretariat for the Economy to audit the Vatican's 120 financial departments' books and check if they had been filed according to international accountability standards.

The auditing was suspended April 12 by the Secretariat of State, with two letters by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and by his deputy, Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu. The letters reportedly claimed that proper procedures had not been correctly applied.

No official statement from the Holy See Press Office confirmed or dismissed the presence of the letters, or the suspension.

A spokesperson of the Secretariat for the Economy, however, stressed Apr. 21 that Cardinal Pell, the prefect, “was bit surprised at the Archbishop’s letter, but anticipates that, after discussion and clarification on some issues, the work of PwC will resume shortly.”

The Cardinal’s spokesperson also underscored that “the work of the internal auditor, which covers all the areas, has not been interrupted.”

The same day, Archbishop Becciu said in a TV interview that the PwC contract “was suspended, not rescinded,” and emphasized that the contract was not signed by the body in charge of it; that is – according to him – the Council of Cardinals.

However, the Council of Cardinals is charged with advising the Pope about issues on Church government and Curia reform: it is not an official body with the capacity for signing contracts.

The Secretariat for the Economy then delivered a release April 22 in which it clarified that “the PwC contract is with the Council for the Economy which, as is clear in its Statutes, is the competent body for the appointment of external auditors.”

The Secretariat for the Economy also stressed that “the Council is the competent body - not the Secretariat of State, and certainly not the C9, which is an advisory body for the Holy Father and operates without any formal role in the governance of the Holy See,” and pointed out “that the PwC contract was signed by the Chair of the Council's Audit Committee and co-signed by the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, following a unanimous resolution of the Council to appoint PwC and a direction to proceed.”

All of this cut and thrust revealed an on-going discussion within the Vatican Walls about the competences of the new dicasteries.

On one side, the Secretariat of State is working to maintain its central position among the Curia dicasteries. Its position has been threatened by the Secretariat for the Economy, created in 2014 to have financial oversight over all Vatican City and Holy See institutions.

Yet in the course of Francis' pontificate, the Secretariat of State has step by step regained importance.

In a letter to Cardinal Parolin dated Oct. 14, 2015, Pope Francis underscored that the “status quo” of the Curia offices had to be respected until the reforms were completed, which means the Secretariat of State is still the central body of the Curia.

As the Secretariat of State gained importance, the Secretariat for the Economy lost some of its impact. The work of the Secretariat for the Economy was at first slowed down by the drafting of its statutes, and afterwards by resistance from elsewhere in the Curia.

However, it is simplistic to read the facts as the struggle between an opaque Italian bureaucracy and a transparent Anglo-Saxon style, as some English-language media have suggested.

The path to Vatican financial transparency and accountability has always found resistance, and Cardinal Pell’s Secretariat has simply become the perfect target for acts of resistance.

Who is it that doesn't want the procedures carried forward? This is the recurrent question in Vatican financial bodies. According to a source familiar with Vatican finances “this kind of resistance comes out at the mid-ranks, while the top ranks exploit the resistance to reinforce their position.”

So, some internal resistance fell in the dialectic between the Secretariat for State and the Secretariat for the Economy. The fact that both of those are called “Secretariat” is important, as they are formally put on par with one another.

The presence of the Secretariat for the Economy might diminish the impact of the Secretariat of State, and a balance of power has yet to be achieved.

Taking advantage of the fact that Cardinal Pell, an Australian, is a real decision maker, the old guard of the Curia are able to slow the implementation of his decisions with procedural excuses.

The case of the PwC suspension is revealing. According to CNA's source, PwC was hired by the Council for the Economy, which made the decision by an unanimous vote.

However, the Secretariat of State claimed the need for further control, and raised issues for discussion, such as: given that Vatican City is a sovereign state, and not a company, is it even proper that its financial books undergo external auditing?

The issue of sovereignty is crucial for the Holy See, which has fought recently to be independent of any secular power: sovereignty has helped the Church to act independently throughout the world, without depending on any secular power, and to be able to have an independent voice in the international scene, thus being able to advocate for human rights and the common good without being accused of any partiality.

Sovereignty is not just a notion: the Holy See’s sovereignty insists on the independent, albeit small, territory of the Vatican City State, which like any other independent nation has its internal jurisdiction and legislation, and is involved in international relations.

This sovereignty implies that the Vatican dicasteries are considered on par with the ministries of any other country – which includes a level of confidentiality in handling their budgets.

For Cardinal Pell, the real challenge is to introduce international accountability standards within a state system: to find a balance between the needs of a manager and those of a governor.

When this balance is upset, Cardinal Pell's will for financial transparency may be stymied by fears that the Holy See could lose something of its sovereignty.

The fracas over the suspension of the PwC audit shows that the discussion is not over, and the tensions between the Vatican's secretariats will continue.

This discussion is the first notable rebound of Pope Francis' Curia reform. If the discussion is not resolved, there well may be other rebounds, further affecting the progress of reform.

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Springfield, Mo., Apr 25, 2016 / 05:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A former counseling student says that he was pushed out of a university after saying that he would refer same-sex couples to another counselor, due to his Christian beliefs.

“Traditionally, universities have been places for free exchange of ideas and values, both religious and secular,” Thomas Olp, executive director and attorney for the Thomas More Society, said April 21.

“Unfortunately, Missouri State University departed from its mission by denying educational opportunity to Mr. Cash simply because he expressed, in an academic setting, sincerely-held religious beliefs which his advisor deemed hostile to her own and therefore unacceptable.”

Andrew Cash was dismissed from a master’s program in counseling at the university after his advisor claimed that it was unethical for him to decline to counsel same-sex couples and refer them to another counselor instead.

Cash is seeking reinstatement in the program in a lawsuit against the governors of Missouri State University. The Chicago-based Thomas More Society filed the lawsuit on Cash’s behalf.

The lawsuit charges that Cash was “penalized for expressing his religious views.” The suit claims that the counseling program treated him differently than other students “because he is a Christian and because of his Christian beliefs.”

Suzanne Shaw, a spokeswoman for the university, told the Springfield News Leader she could not comment on the specifics of pending litigation. She said the university “strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion or any other protected class.”

Cash was almost finished with his degree in the program at Missouri State University in January 2011 when he sought to fulfill the degree program’s internship requirements, the Thomas More Society said. He chose an internship at the Springfield Marriage and Family Institute. The university had approved the Christian-based counseling agency as an internship site.

Cash asked his internship supervisor at the institute to speak to his class about Christian counseling, with the approval his instructor. The institute’s chief counselor said that the organization was open with its clients about its Christian values and practices.

During the presentation, the counselor answered questions about the institute’s treatment of homosexual clients. It counsels these clients on an individual basis, but prefers to refer same-sex couples for relationship counseling to counselors whose religious views would better fit that purpose.

A student complained to Cash’s faculty advisor, who later questioned Cash on the subject.

Cash said he agreed that he could not counsel same-sex couples, but he would refer them elsewhere to a counselor who could best serve them.

The faculty advisor said such a position would violate the American Counseling Association’s ethics code, claiming such action constituted discrimination against homosexual persons.

According to the Thomas More Society, the faculty advisor ordered him to stop attending the institute and told the institute it was no longer a proper place for an internship. The university later stripped the internship hours from Cash’s record.

When Cash sought another internship, his advisor required him to meet certain suitability standards. The advisor later wrote to department officials and claimed that it appeared the student had not renounced his religious views and his support for the institute.

She recommended that Cash be placed into remediation. University officials agreed and placed several requirements upon him. Cash was expelled from the program in November 2014.

Cash’s lawsuit said he suffered economic injury and “irreparable harm” because of the university’s decision. He is seeking punitive damages.

A similar controversy took place at Eastern Michigan University. In 2009, counseling student Julea Ward was told she had to provide relationship counseling to a client in a same-sex relationship rather than make a referral to another counselor. She said she could not affirm a relationship against her faith, and a review board expelled her from the school.

After a lawsuit, Eastern Michigan University paid a settlement to Ward and removed her expulsion from her record.

 

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(Vatican Radio) American President Barack Obama has urged Europe and the United States to be more welcoming towards migrants fleeing war and poverty, praising Germany's decision to accommodate more than a million refugees last year alone.

Obama was speaking in the German city of Hanover where he concluded a European tour by meeting with the leaders of Germany, Britain, France and Italy. He also announced the deployment of hundreds of American special forces in Syria to assist local troops in tackling so called Islamic State militants.

Listen to our report by Stefan Bos: 

Speaking at the opening of a trade show in Hanover, Obama reached out to German Chancellor Angela Merkel who has faced criticism over the way she handled Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two.

While Hungary and other countries began building fences to halt them back, Germany registered a record 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, mostly from war torn Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.    

Standing next to a visible moved Merkel, President Obama praised her reaction to the many people seeking shelter. "She is on the right side of history on this," he said. "In this globalized world, it is very difficult for us to simply build walls. She is giving voice to the kind of principles that bring people together rather than divide them. I am very proud at her and very proud at the German people." 

REFUGEES "NEED HELP" 

In separate remarks he said Europe and the U.S. are more secure when welcoming people of all backgrounds and religions, including Muslims. He added: "we can't turn our backs on fellow human beings who are here now and need our help now."

Yet while Obama was still in Germany, Austria already announced additional border controls to halt potential migrants arriving illegally from Hungary, while Poland said it would send 120 border guards to help Greece protect the European Union borders. 

Obama also said that when it comes to demonizing minorities, loud voices get attention.

But the president made clear that Europe and the NATO military should tackle Islamic extremism and do more to stop Islamic State militants. 

SPECIAL FORCES

Obama said he had already approved a plan to send up to 250 mainly special forces to Syria to help fight local forces against the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL. “Just as I have approved additional support for Iraqi forces against ISIL, I've decided to increase U.S. support for local forces fighting ISIL in Syria,” he  explained.

“A small number of U.S. special operations forces are already on the ground in Syria,” Obama added. “Their expertise has been critical as local forces have been driving ISIL out of key areas."

The deployment will bring the number of American military personnel in Syria to roughly 300, up from 50 now.

Obama said he would use Monday's meeting with French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the British and Italian prime ministers, David Cameron and Matteo Renzi, to ask them to step up their military training and airstrike contributions in the campaign against the Islamic State group. He also wants them to provide more economic aid to rebuild parts of Iraq recaptured from the militants. 

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IMAGE: NS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz

By Chaz Muth

WASHINGTON -- The recent update in the sainthood cause for American Catholic icon Dorothy Day is welcome news to many of her friends and associates who believe her understanding of Catholic social teaching should be held up as a church value.

The Archdiocese of New York announced April 19 an important next step in the canonization process for Day: a canonical inquiry into the life of the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and famed peace activist.

"For those who knew her, there is no question about Dorothy's holiness and her prophetic witness," said Patrick Jordan, a former managing editor of The Catholic Worker newspaper that Day helped launch in 1933 and one of her longtime companions.

"Canonization, on the other hand, is a legal process meant to certify a certain individual's 'status' at the time of her or his death and what this means for the life of the church," Jordan told Catholic News Service. "Obviously, there are lots more saints than those included on the church's official list. Yet, for those memorable enough to be so designated, the legal process of canonization assures that their stories will be handed down to future generations to emulate and to value. All to the good."

The canonical inquiry by the archdiocese -- which is sponsoring Day's sainthood cause and is where she oversaw some of the Catholic Worker houses of hospitality for poor and marginalized people -- will find a historical commission issuing a report placing Day's life in historical context and reviewing her unpublished writings.

New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan will appoint theological experts to review her published writings -- two readers for each publication -- with an eye toward doctrine and morals.

Jordan and his wife Kathleen -- both of whom helped care for Day in her later years -- told CNS they commend the archdiocese for committing considerable time and resources to gathering the testimonies needed to determine the social activist's qualifications for canonization and to examining her considerable writings for their wisdom and theological acuity.

Day's sainthood cause was first undertaken by one of Cardinal Dolan's predecessors, Cardinal John J. O'Connor, in 2000.

The U.S. bishops unanimously endorsed Day's sainthood cause during their 2012 fall general assembly.

Day was born in Brooklyn in 1897 and shortly thereafter her family moved to San Francisco, where she was baptized an Episcopalian. Her family later moved to Chicago, and Day attended the University of Illinois.

However, she left college to work as a journalist in New York City. While in Manhattan, she got involved in the causes of her day, such as women's suffrage and peace, and was part of a circle of literary and artistic figures of the era.

In Day's personal life, though, she went through a string of love affairs, a failed marriage, a suicide attempt and an abortion. But with the birth of her daughter, Tamar, in 1926, Day embraced Catholicism. She had Tamar baptized Catholic, which ended her common-law marriage and brought dismay to her friends.

Seeking to fuse her life and her faith, Day wrote for such Catholic publications as America and Commonweal. In 1932, she met Peter Maurin, a French immigrant and former member of the Christian Brothers. Together they started the Catholic Worker newspaper in the midst of the Great Depression and opened a house of hospitality, from which eventually spun dozens of similar houses and farm communities in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The archdiocese also will interview eyewitnesses to Day's life, gathering evidence that will be sent to the Vatican's Congregation for Saints' Causes and to Pope Francis.

If, after examining the information, the Vatican congregation and the pope recognize Day's heroic virtues, she will be declared "venerable," the next step in the canonization process. She now has the title "servant of God."

Beatification and, ultimately, canonization are the next steps in the process. In general, one miracle determined to have occurred through the intercession of a candidate for sainthood is required for beatification and a second such miracle is needed for canonization.

"By declaring a person a saint, the church does not mean to honor that person. It is not a reward," said Deacon Tom Cornell, co-founder of the Catholic Peace Fellowship and a decades-long associate of Day. "It is meant to hold up an example of authentic Christian discipleship for a certain time and place."

Cornell told CNS he hopes this latest step in the canonization process means the Catholic Church establishment will adopt Day's staunch anti-war positions and "will speed the day when all the world will know that Catholics favor conscientious objection to war and the development of nonviolent alternatives to conflict resolution and resistance to the imposition of tyranny from within or without a nation state."

Day certainly suspected that a canonization cause on her behalf could be launched after her death. Though she scoffed at the notion during her lifetime, people who knew her intimately say she had conflicting thoughts on the process that goes into the church naming someone a saint.

"Our lives are full of contradiction," said Martha Hennessy, one of Day's nine grandchildren, in a 2012 interview with CNS at Maryhouse, a Catholic Worker residence in the East Village section of New York. It's also the house where Day worked and where she died in 1980.

"You know, she stated, 'Don't call me a saint, I don't want to be dismissed that easily,'" Hennessy, now 61, said. "She also said we're all called to be saints. But, I also see the hand of God pushing her in a direction that she didn't necessarily choose or understand at the time.

"I mean, there are other things she would rather have done," Hennessy said. "But, in the end it was very clear that her life took the direction that it took, because she responded to hearing the voice of God."

The Jordans also said they see Day's contributions to the faith getting much-deserved attention in recent times, such as Pope Francis' mention of her in his Sept. 24, 2015, address to a joint meeting of Congress and the recent discussion of her life in such best-selling books as David Brooks' "The Road to Character."

"The serious issues of the times themselves -- refugees, poverty and inequality, racism, massive spending on wars and developing military technologies for future wars, capital punishment, torture, and prolonged incarcerations, etc. -- are all issues on which Dorothy Day wrote forcefully and sought to ameliorate," Patrick Jordan said.

"That her canonization process has now reached this significant stage indicates Dorothy's life will increasingly be given the recognition it deserves," he said. "First in the United States, then in Rome, and finally throughout the world."

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Follow Chaz Muth on Twitter: @Chazmaniandevyl.

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