from Desmond O'Grady in Rome A 15-MEMBER commission had been nominated to study the organisational and economic problems of the Vatican in collaboration with the Roman Curia. Its first meeting will be held next Monday and Tuesday under the Secretary of State, Cardinal Agostino Casaroli.
The new body is the result of the meeting of cardinals held from November 5-9,1979 and the suggestions subsequently forwarded to Rome by the participants.
The Vatican press officer, Fr Romeo Panciroli. acknowledged this when announcing establishment of the new body which is called a "Council of cardinals who are residential archbishops-. Fr Panciroli said it would collaborate with the competent Curial organisms, particularly the Prefecture for Economic Affairs.
Fr Panciroii denied Italian press reports that the Pope had been planning to call all the world's 125 cardinals together for a special meeting similar to the one in 1979.
At the end of that meeting Vatican officials said the Holy See's operating deficit for 1979 was more than £10 million and was expected to increase in 1980, The members of the new commission include Cardinal Joseph Hoeffner of Cologne, who is already a member of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs. The Prefecture was set up by Pope Paul VI in 1967 to oversee and co-ordinate all Vatican financial offices but has met resistance From other Vatican financial bodies.
Pope John Paul's decision to convoke all cardinals in 1979 was taken as an indication that he wanted to involve the worldwide church in decisions on the Holy See's finances.