Australian Cardinal George Pell, the finance tsar to Pope Francis, is moving out of the Vatican bank into the permanent offices of his new economy secretariat.
The move comes four months after Pell raised eyebrows by taking up residence in the bank.
It coincides with a major reorganisation of the Vatican's financial structures ordered by Pope Francis as part of his reform of the Vatican's administration.
It also removes any question of Pell's direct authority over the bank, which is governed by a separate commission of cardinals who report to the Pope.
Pope Francis tapped Pell to bring order and efficiency to the Vatican's complicated finances.
Pell has promised a new era of transparency, budgeting accountability and internationally accepted accounting standards, and has been given broad oversight powers.
But he has ruffled feathers within the Vatican's old guard, and some saw his decision to move into the vacant, spacious presidents' office of the Vatican bank as a symbolic assertion of control over the institution.
Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli noted that Pell's presence in the bank might have led to confusion about who really ran the show there, him or the cardinal's commission.
A spokesman for Pell confirmed on Tuesday that he was moving out but denied that it was because of concerns from the Pope or the cardinal's commission.
In a statement, the spokesman said the move will enable Pell to more closely and efficiently work with the rest of his staff, which had been housed in a tower on the opposite end of the Vatican gardens.
According to new statutes that went into effect last month, Pell's Secretariat for the Economy is absorbing part of the Vatican office that administers the Holy See's financial assets and is moving into those offices in the Apostolic Palace.
Share

