A Higher Calling

Even George Yeo seemed uncertain why he has been appointed to a special Vatican commission set up by Pope Francis. Contacted by 938LIVE, the usually loquacious Yeo said it "is too early to comment".

The only remotely religious utterance we can recall from the quitter stationed in Hongkong was to tell his comrades, "Go reform thyself," when he felt betrayed at Aljunied. As for counsellor confessor experience, Jack Neo did telephone him when the latter's real-life casting couch role came to inglorious light.

His judgment has been
questioned

The Vatican said the initiative is part of efforts by Pope Francis to reform the Holy See and help it move on from a series of scandals and allegations of corruption that made the news under his predecessor Benedict XVI’s reign. Pope Francis himself is tainted by a gay sex scandal: The papal nunciate who lived openly with his male lover in Uruguay was appointed by Francis as his representative at the Vatican "bank", formally known as the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR).

The official Vatican news release on the setting up of the commission goes like this:

The Holy Father, by a chirograph dated 18 July, has established a Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organisation of the economic-administrative structure of the Holy See.
The Commission will gather information, report to the Holy Father and co-operate with the Council of Cardinals for the study of the organisational and economic problems of the Holy See, in order to draft reforms of the institutions of the Holy See, with the aim of a "simplification and rationalisation of the existing bodies and more careful planning of the economic activities of all the Vatican Administrations".
As explained in the Chirograph, the Committee will "offer the technical support of specialist advice and develop strategic solutions for improvement, so as to avoid the misuse of economic resources, to improve transparency in the processes of purchasing goods and services; to refine the administration of goods and real estate; to work with ever greater prudence in the financial sphere; to ensure correct application of accounting principles; and to guarantee healthcare and social security benefits to all those eligible".
The Commission will be able to collaborate, on request, with the working Group of eight Cardinals in drafting a plan for the reform of the Apostolic Constitution "Pastor Bonus" on the Roman Curia.
The aims and the appointments of the Commission are described in detail in the Chirograph itself.

Note the areas in which they are seeking improvement - "misuse of economic resources", "improve transparency"; "administration of goods and real estate"; "greater prudence in the financial sphere"; "correct application of accounting principles";"guarantee healthcare and social security benefits to all those eligible".

Perhaps the Vatican has not been properly briefed. Town council investment in toxic instruments, Brompton bicycles, housing bubble economy, accounting lapses ("Government continues to suffer procurement lapses: Auditor-General's Office"), escalating medicare charges, pathetic social handouts ("you want hawker center, food court or restaurant?"), etc,  are not exactly shining examples of a job well done. Just ask George, he should know, throughout his 23 years of political service, he was going with the flow.