Vatican Tapes Reveal Pope's Struggle to Clean Up Finances

  • Secret recording has Francis saying `costs are out of control'
  • Leaked documents show secrecy, bad management, vast wealth
Photographer: Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg
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The scale of the challenge facing Pope Francis as he struggles to overhaul Vatican finances will be set out this week by the publication of confidential documents and clandestine recordings of his meetings.

Two books out in Italy and other countries on Thursday will highlight secrecy, mismanagement and huge wealth at the heart of the Catholic Church. On the eve of publication, the Vatican arrested a senior Church official and a public relations consultant in an investigation into the alleged leak of confidential documents. One book quotes an unauthorized recording of Pope Francis protesting to officials about Vatican finances.