Pope Francis’ radio interview covered many different subjects. One subject was Cardinal Becciu who is accused along with 9 others of corruption with Vatican finances. Francis said “I hope with all my heart that he is innocent. Besides, he was a collaborator of mine and helped me a lot. He is a person whom I have a certain esteem as a person, that is to say that my wish is that he turns out well.” Becciu insists he innocent. “Pope Francis said “during the last three years, progress has been made in such a way that justice has become more independent, with the technical means, even with recorded witness statements, the current technical things, appointments of new judges, of the new public prosecutor’s office” … moving justice reform forward. “Exposing this latest corruption “all started with two reports from people who work in the Vatican and who saw an irregularity in their functions. They made a complaint and asked me what to do. I told them: if you want to go ahead, you have to present it to the prosecutor. It was a bit challenging, but they were two good people, they were a bit cowed and then, as if to encourage them, I put my signature under theirs, to say: this is the way, I am not afraid of transparency or the truth.” I want everything to turn out well, In any case, justice will decide.” Regarding changes he has made as Pope, he said “I did not invent anything; what I did from the beginning is to try to put into action what we cardinals said in the pre-conclave meetings for the next Pope: the next Pope has to do this, this, this, this. And this is what I started to do. I think there are several things still to be done, but there is nothing invented by me. I am obeying what was set at the time. Maybe some people did not realize what they were saying or thought it was not so serious, but some topics cause pain, it is true. But there is no originality of mine in the plan.” Regarding clerical sexual abuse, Pope Francis questioned why governments were not making greater efforts to eliminate child pornography. He said “abusing a boy to film an act of child pornography is demonic. It cannot be explained without the presence of the devil.” Francis praised Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston for his work in establishing the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Francis said “ I would like to pay tribute to a man who began to speak about this with courage, even though he was a thorn in the side of the organization, long before the organization was created on this subject, and that is Cardinal O’Malley. It fell to him to settle the matter in Boston and it was not easy. The Commission for the Protection of Minors, which was Cardinal O’Malley’s invention, is now functioning. I think things are being done well. In fact, progress has been made and more and more progress is being made. However, it is a global and serious problem.” Pope Francis was asked if he was ever tempted to wear civilian clothes. He said No, no, not at all. There have been only three houses he has gone to in secret: Professor Mara’s house a 90 year old Teresian Sister; the home of an Italian journalist and good friend to pay condolences, and the home of Edith Bruck a 90 year old concentration camp survivor
