His reason for resigning was compelling, he says. Once presented with the charges against him, he felt he must sign a resignation letter on the spot.

Senior Vatican officials claimed Milone deployed illicit wiretaps while in his brief period on the job and suggested he was guilty of financial irregularities.

Three months after his June 2017 resignation, Milone told news sources he had been intimidated by the Vatican police during his arrest and felt forced to accept resignation under the threat of being sent to jail.

He also claimed an "old guard" was attempting to stop the avalanche of financial reforms promoted by Pope Francis and his predecessor, emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.

Milone's newly created auditor-general's post was one such reform. It carried previously unheard-of powers including, for example, the authority to summon financial statements from all Vatican departments.

"It is true to say that we discovered a series of anomalies and errors for which we had asked for corrections to be made," Milone says.

"Certain individuals might have been concerned about some of our findings, but it was something I expected."

He describes his approach in the Vatican as "thorough" and "methodical." He created his own department and hand-selected his associates.

He also produced an audit manual and procedure, plus an internal ethical code for the Vatican auditors.

Despite being cleared of all the charges, and with the Vatican's assurance that he will not be prosecuted for alleged misconduct, Milone says he has had no employment offers.

In his view, a "compilation of lies" has poisoned his public reputation.

Source

• National Catholic Register
• CruxNow
• Crux Now

Libero Milone says he was accused of spying after opponents of Pope Francis' financial reforms mounted a campaign against him.

The Vatican press office says Milone was "going outside his competencies and illegally hired an external company to undertake investigative activities about the private lives of representatives of the Holy See."

"This, besides being a crime, irremediably strained the trust placed in Dr. Milone," the statement said. It added that the Vatican's internal investigation of his actions was conducted with care and respect.

Milone was appointed to the new auditor general role in 2015 during sweeping financial reforms led by Cardinal George Pell.

His five-year contract gave him authority to audit the books of any department in the Vatican.

Milone maintained an initial silence after his resignation, but later said he was forced out when his investigations uncovered irregularities, an allegation which the Vatican contests.

On the day he resigned, Milone says he met with one of the Vatican's most senior officials who told him he was being dismissed. This followed a seven-month investigation by Vatican police.

Domenico Giani, the Vatican's police chief, told Reuters news agency there had been "overwhelming evidence" against Milone. He offered no further details.

Milone says the evidence presented to him was "fake, fabricated" and that he was effectively being pushed out.

Milone has not provided any evidence of the irregularities he found in the Vatican finances.

The Vatican says Milone's actions were not just criminal but had also "irredeemably damaged" the working relationship between the Vatican and Milone.

It also says it is surprised Milone has discussed his resignation as he had agreed not to do so.

Milone says, suspecting his office computer had been tampered with, he arranged for an external company to check for surveillance devices. The company discovered his computer had been the target of unauthorised access, and his secretary's computer had been infected with spyware that copied files.

Source

• The Tablet
• National Catholic Register
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: Malay Mail Online

He has not given any reasons for his unexpected departure from the post, which he has held for just two years.

His role was to help ensure transparency in the Vatican's finances.

In a statement, the Vatican said:

"It is noted that Doctor Libero Milone yesterday presented his resignation to the Holy Father from the position of Auditor General.

"The Holy Father accepted it. Thus concludes, by common agreement, the relationship of collaboration with the Holy See.

"While it wishes Doctor Milone every good for his future activity, the Holy See informs that, as soon as possible, a process will be activated to nominate a new director for the Office of Auditor General."

Although neither Milone nor the Vatican has given any reason for Milone's resignation, unnamed sources claiming to have knowledge of the situation say there had been a "clash of operational styles" between Milone and the departments his office audited.

The Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See (APSA) has been particularly affected, the sources say.

APSA is the office of the Roman Curia that deals with the "provisions owned by the Holy See in order to provide the funds necessary for the Roman Curia to function".

It manages the Vatican's real estate holdings, pays Vatican employees' salaries, acts as a purchasing office and human resources department, and manages the Vatican's financial and stock portfolio.

Source

• National Catholic Register
• Catholic Herald
• Reuters
• Image: Catholic Herald