Pope Francis’ desire for a poor Church is still taking time to filter through in the Vatican. While ordinary pilgrims queued all night to see the canonisations of John Paul II and John XXIII, €18,000 (£15,000) were spent on a rooftop party for VIPs on the terrace of the prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See in Rome. Two hundred guests, including the president of the Vatican Bank Ernst von Freyberg, Vatican finance adviser Francesca Chaouqui and monsignors, were treated to a sumptuous brunch buffet and fine wines. Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, who is president of the prefecture but was not present at the brunch, said the event “was not in line with the spirit of the canonisation and in contrast with the teachings of Pope Francis who had reques
29 May 2014, The Tablet
Reprimand for party faithful
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