Cardinal Pell: Vatican financial reform making ‘massive’ progress Australian Cardinal George Pell is pictured in a screen grab addressing a Zoom webinar on transparency in the Catholic Church Jan. 14, 2020. Cardinal Pell said recent measures to centralize the church’s checks and balances represent “massive progress” in Pope Francis’ financial reform efforts. (CNS screen grab/Zoom) By Junno Arocho Esteves • Catholic News Service • Posted January 20, 2021 ROME (CNS) — While questions remain about dubious financial dealings in the past and about future uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vatican’s steady move toward financial transparency is on the right track, said Cardinal George Pell, former prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy.