Finances and loyalists: Leo's risk
"In the sacred chambers, the silence of the Curia's spiritual exercises contrasts with the noise of rumors about upcoming appointments. Leo XIV is getting closer and closer to the end of his first year as pope. With the heavy task of concluding a Jubilee begun by his predecessor behind him, the sporty pope intends to start shaping his team. However, his will be a soft revolution because he aims to avoid any signs of a total break with the recent past. In this, he is helped by the natural expiry of some important appointments. The finance sector has become one of the most important for the government of the Holy See, and it is on this front that the Pontiff will pursue one of the most obvious changes. We can anticipate, in fact, that Carmelo Barbagallo, president of the Financial Supervision and Information Authority (ASIF) since 2019, will be leaving. On February 28, he will blow out 70 candles, a fateful milestone for the departure of lay people in power in the Curia. The Pope has not planned an extension for him. The succession “at home” sees Federico Antellini Russo in the lead, who has been director with the function of vice president since the end of 2024.
It is a key institution that exercises anti-money laundering supervision over the IOR. Even in the so-called “bank of God,” preparations are underway for the end of an era: Gian Franco Mammì, general manager since 2015 and a symbol of the Bergoglian pontificate, is approaching his 70th birthday. At Torrione Niccolò V, the search for a successor has already begun. These are matters that Prevost will deal with personally. Since his time as superior of the Augustinians, he has been someone who knows how to handle finances and, moreover, he can count on the advice of his confrere Tony Banks, a former Australian banker.
Another priority for Leo XIV is to choose trustworthy and reliable people to work closely with him. It is no coincidence that Prevost recently promoted an employee from ‘his’ former department for bishops to the papal household. A future “leap” to chamberlain to His Holiness cannot be ruled out for him, a very delicate role as demonstrated by the sad Vatileaks affair. The Pope's accessibility is an important issue in the Vatican, which is why there is great attention on appointments to the Prefecture of the Papal Household, where the papal agenda is managed.
Last November, Prevost appointed Augustinian Father Edward Daniang Daleng as vice-regent, who is learning the ropes from the experienced regent Leonardo Sapienza. The Pope chose this Nigerian friar also to give greater space to the African Church in the Curia. Another sign of attention to Africa came yesterday with the official announcement of the apostolic journey to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea from April 13 to 23. But the most important news in the Papal Household should come with the appointment of the prefect, vacant for three years, which could go to Monsignor Petar Rajič, current nuncio to Italy and San Marino. Well-informed sources tell Il Giornale that the Pope is considering offering this nunciature to his deputy Edgar Peña Parra. The number two in the Secretariat of State has already declined two ‘exit’ solutions proposed to him by Leo, but he may consider the destination of Villa Giorgina, which would keep him in the running for a future cardinalate.
