Mons. Alfred Xuereb appointed Prelate Secretary General

Mons. Alfred Xuereb has been chosen by Pope Francis to be Prelate Secretary General in the Secretariat for the Economy of the Holy See.

Xuereb was sworn in this morning by the Pope, along with Cardinal George Pell who was sworn in to the post of Prefect of the Secretariat.

The new Secretariat is responsible for all the economic and administrative activities of the Holy See and the Vatican state. It has the same rights and responsibilities as the State Secretariat.

The Secretariat answers directly to the Pope, who is also aided by 15-member Economic Council, eight of whom are cardinals. The remaining members are expert laypersons.

The founding of an office of Auditor General is the next anticipated announcement. It will head a study of the economic and administrative structures of the Holy See and report directly to the Pope and the Economic Council.