The Australian’s Dennis Shanahan says “none of the Catholic hierarchy in Australia” knew about the $2.3 billion transferred from the Vatican to Australia over a six-year period.
“What the Australian Catholic bishops want is an explanation as to how this money came to Australia, and who was getting it, and what benefit there was for the Catholic Church,” Mr Shanahan told Sky News.
Mr Shanahan said on Boxing Day, Pope Francis cancelled the Vatican Secretary of State’s “powers to handle financial transactions” and moved all financial and property assets to “another area of greater control”.
Mr Shanahan also said the Australian Federal Police were looking into a number of the transfers which had been notified to them as “actionable financial intelligence”.
“Over six years, $2.3 billion coming from the Vatican to Australia and none of the Catholic hierarchy in Australia knew about it.”