Thereafter, it seems Pope Francis largely abandoned thoughts of internal reform and turned his attention outward. Like his predecessors, he relied on trusted advisors and gave them broad discretion. The new constitution that he commissioned finally appeared in 2023 but did not supply mechanisms to address the accountability deficits that continue to render the Holy See vulnerable to financial misconduct and other abuses. The only feature of the constitution that attracted much attention from the press was an expansion of opportunities for lay participation. Ironically, however, laymen have often been the foxes in the financial chicken coop.
Today, the Holy See is in dire financial straits, with income and donations down, a huge deficit now estimated at $87 million, and no realistic plan for a way forward.
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