At noon today (7:00am EDT), in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the staff of the Court of Auditors.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am happy to welcome all of you, who represent the large family of the Court of Auditors: judges, administrative personnel, family members and friends. I extend my greetings to each of you, beginning with your President, Doctor Angelo Buscema, who I thank for the words with which he introduced our meeting.
This institute, part of the Italian Republic, embodies an ethical nature which is the same that underlies the functioning of the State, which is responsible for the care and promotion of the common good of society (Evangelii gaudium, 240). The Court of Auditors, in fact, carries out an indispensable service based on justice towards the common good. And this is not an ideological concept or just a theoretical one, but it is linked to the conditions of full development for all citizens and can be achieved by taking into account the dignity of the person in its entirety. For this reason, the State, in all its forms, is called to be the defender of the natural rights of man, whose recognition is a condition for the existence of the rule of law. Therefore, the good of the human person, always understood in its relational and community dimension, must constitute the essential criterion of all the organs and programs of a nation.
This principle is also essential to wisely carrying out the delicate function of accounting magistrate. It requires not only a high level of professionalism and specialization, but above all a properly formed personal conscience, a marked sense of justice, a generous commitment to institutions and the community. In performing this task, the believing magistrate can find help in referring to God; the non-believing magistrate will replace the reference to the transcendent with the reference to the social body, with a different meaning, but with equal moral commitment.
Strict control of expenses hampers the temptation, recurring in those who occupy political or administrative offices, to manage resources not in a prudent way, but for patronage purposes and mere electoral consent. We need to give more space to a sound policy, capable of reforming institutions, coordinating them and providing them with good practices, which will allow us to overcome vicious pressures and inertia. However, it must be added that the best devices end up succumbing when great goals, values and a humanistic and meaningful understanding are lacking, capable of giving each society a noble and generous orientation (Encyclical Letter Laudato si ', 181).
In this perspective, the important role that the accounting Magistracy plays for the community is placed, in particular in the incessant struggle against corruption. This is one of the most lacerating wounds of the social fabric, because it harms society heavily both from an ethical and an economic point of view: with the illusion of quick and easy gains, in reality it impoverishes everyone, removing trust, transparency and reliability from the whole system. Corruption degrades the dignity of the individual and shatters all good and beautiful ideals. Society as a whole is called to commit itself concretely to combating the cancer of corruption in its various forms. The Court of Auditors, in the exercise of controls over the management and activities of public administration, is a valid tool for preventing and affecting illegality and abuse. At the same time, it can indicate the tools to overcome inefficiencies and distortions.
For their part, individual public administrators must increasingly feel the responsibility of operating with transparency and honesty, thus favouring the relationship of trust between the citizens and the institutions whose dissolutions are among the most serious manifestations of the crisis of democracy. Strict control of expenses by the accounting magistracy on the one hand, and the correct and clear attitude of those responsible for public affairs on the other hand, can curb the temptation to manage resources in a way that is not prudent and for patronage purposes. The common goods constitute resources that must be protected for the benefit of all, especially the poor, and in the face of their irresponsible use, the State is called upon to perform an indispensable supervisory function, duly sanctioning unlawful conduct.
Dear magistrates of the Italian Court of Auditors, I encourage you to continue with serenity and seriousness in your role, which is central to the definition of important moments of coordination of public finance. May you always be animated by the awareness of rendering a service, which is aimed at making the culture of legality, grow in society.
To all of you present here, I also address the invitation to live this time of Lent as an opportunity to fix your gaze deeply on Christ, our Master and a Witness of truth and justice. His word is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for all those who dedicate themselves to the service of the common good. The Lenten period a time of spiritual combat par excellence, of agonizing, and this stimulates us to live our personal life and our service to the public in an inert way, resigned to the evils we encounter in ourselves and around us. Jesus Christ urges us to face evil openly and to go to the root of problems. He teaches us to pay in person in this struggle, not for the search for unrealistic heroism and for an ill-concealed protagonism, but with the humble tenacity of those who carry out their work, which is often hidden, resisting the pressures that the world does not lack exercise.
Entrusting you to the protection of Saint Joseph, the just man, I bless you all and your work. And I ask you to please pray for me too. Thank you.
Original text in Italian
Texto en español
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
offered to the staff of the Court of Auditors
Dear brothers and sisters,
I am happy to welcome all of you, who represent the large family of the Court of Auditors: judges, administrative personnel, family members and friends. I extend my greetings to each of you, beginning with your President, Doctor Angelo Buscema, who I thank for the words with which he introduced our meeting.
This institute, part of the Italian Republic, embodies an ethical nature which is the same that underlies the functioning of the State, which is responsible for the care and promotion of the common good of society (Evangelii gaudium, 240). The Court of Auditors, in fact, carries out an indispensable service based on justice towards the common good. And this is not an ideological concept or just a theoretical one, but it is linked to the conditions of full development for all citizens and can be achieved by taking into account the dignity of the person in its entirety. For this reason, the State, in all its forms, is called to be the defender of the natural rights of man, whose recognition is a condition for the existence of the rule of law. Therefore, the good of the human person, always understood in its relational and community dimension, must constitute the essential criterion of all the organs and programs of a nation.
This principle is also essential to wisely carrying out the delicate function of accounting magistrate. It requires not only a high level of professionalism and specialization, but above all a properly formed personal conscience, a marked sense of justice, a generous commitment to institutions and the community. In performing this task, the believing magistrate can find help in referring to God; the non-believing magistrate will replace the reference to the transcendent with the reference to the social body, with a different meaning, but with equal moral commitment.
Strict control of expenses hampers the temptation, recurring in those who occupy political or administrative offices, to manage resources not in a prudent way, but for patronage purposes and mere electoral consent. We need to give more space to a sound policy, capable of reforming institutions, coordinating them and providing them with good practices, which will allow us to overcome vicious pressures and inertia. However, it must be added that the best devices end up succumbing when great goals, values and a humanistic and meaningful understanding are lacking, capable of giving each society a noble and generous orientation (Encyclical Letter Laudato si ', 181).
In this perspective, the important role that the accounting Magistracy plays for the community is placed, in particular in the incessant struggle against corruption. This is one of the most lacerating wounds of the social fabric, because it harms society heavily both from an ethical and an economic point of view: with the illusion of quick and easy gains, in reality it impoverishes everyone, removing trust, transparency and reliability from the whole system. Corruption degrades the dignity of the individual and shatters all good and beautiful ideals. Society as a whole is called to commit itself concretely to combating the cancer of corruption in its various forms. The Court of Auditors, in the exercise of controls over the management and activities of public administration, is a valid tool for preventing and affecting illegality and abuse. At the same time, it can indicate the tools to overcome inefficiencies and distortions.
For their part, individual public administrators must increasingly feel the responsibility of operating with transparency and honesty, thus favouring the relationship of trust between the citizens and the institutions whose dissolutions are among the most serious manifestations of the crisis of democracy. Strict control of expenses by the accounting magistracy on the one hand, and the correct and clear attitude of those responsible for public affairs on the other hand, can curb the temptation to manage resources in a way that is not prudent and for patronage purposes. The common goods constitute resources that must be protected for the benefit of all, especially the poor, and in the face of their irresponsible use, the State is called upon to perform an indispensable supervisory function, duly sanctioning unlawful conduct.
Dear magistrates of the Italian Court of Auditors, I encourage you to continue with serenity and seriousness in your role, which is central to the definition of important moments of coordination of public finance. May you always be animated by the awareness of rendering a service, which is aimed at making the culture of legality, grow in society.
To all of you present here, I also address the invitation to live this time of Lent as an opportunity to fix your gaze deeply on Christ, our Master and a Witness of truth and justice. His word is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for all those who dedicate themselves to the service of the common good. The Lenten period a time of spiritual combat par excellence, of agonizing, and this stimulates us to live our personal life and our service to the public in an inert way, resigned to the evils we encounter in ourselves and around us. Jesus Christ urges us to face evil openly and to go to the root of problems. He teaches us to pay in person in this struggle, not for the search for unrealistic heroism and for an ill-concealed protagonism, but with the humble tenacity of those who carry out their work, which is often hidden, resisting the pressures that the world does not lack exercise.
Entrusting you to the protection of Saint Joseph, the just man, I bless you all and your work. And I ask you to please pray for me too. Thank you.
Original text in Italian
Texto en español
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