Vatican court sends former cardinal to prison

The Vatican, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, is a state, and the Pope who heads the church is the head of the state. So, it is a rare occasion that a Vatican court, which was empowered by Pope Francis to try the Vatican personnel, including high-ranking cardinals, has gone into the job with sincerity.

On Saturday, a Vatican court convicted senior cardinal, adviser to Pope Francis, and once a contender for the papacy, Angelo Becciu, 75 and delivered a prison sentence of five years and six months for financial crimes. Court president Giuseppe Pignatone read out the verdict. The case related to purchase of a property in London which resulted in financial loss to the Vatican, and Becciu was charged with embezzlement. The trial took two years, and the prosecution brought in evidence against Becciu and others involved in the case, financiers, lawyers and ex-Vatican employees. The case was brought by the Vatican, which has deemed itself “the offended party”.

Pope Francis, who had come into office in 2013, has been trying to reform the church administration. He has also handled as best as he could charges of child abuse against the priests, many of them very senior, who had indulged in the crime for decades. Pope Francis has been working hard to restore the credibility of the church.

Due to historical developments, the Roman Catholic Church did not remain confined to guiding the followers with regard to religious and spiritual matters. It had unwittingly inherited the powers of the Roman empire, and the popes found themselves governing parts of Italy.

In the modern period, especially in the 1920s when the dictator, Benito Mussolini, was in power in Rome, the political powers of the church were constrained. But Vatican remained a state though a very small one in the heart of Italy. It is in this capacity of the state, that the church and the Pope are forced to deal with the misdemeanour of those serving the church and the Vatican state.

Many might say that the Vatican state is an anachronism in the modern world, but it is a leftover from history, and everyone, including the Roman Catholic Church, is dealing with it as best as it can. This is the first trial of its kind, where the Vatican state has prosecuted a case against those in the employ of the church and the Vatican state. The administrative apparatus of the Vatican is sought to be kept separate from what the Roman Catholic Church does to serve the millions of Roman Catholics all over the world.

Judge Pignatone has also imposed a fine of 8,000 euros on Becciu. His lawyer said that Becciu respects the verdict of the court but it would appeal the verdict. It would be an interesting process, and it is to be seen whether the final appeal lies with the Pope himself, or there would be a separate judicial authority. It also seems that Becciu’s case of embezzlement is not an isolated instance, and that the Vatican finances are in a mess.

In trying to straighten out the issues, there could be more instances of mismanagement come to light. This aspect of the Vatican administration has been a closed door as it were. Now that the church recognises that there has to be transparency in the affairs of the Vatican, prosecutors could be finding more than Becciu’s case. It can be said that the Vatican, and the Roman Catholic Church, would be treading an uncharted path, and it could be a tricky one for the credibility of the church.