Editor’s Note: A minor official in the Ukrainian government has accused the Vatican Bank of “receiving and investing” monies from Russia.  And the Vatican Bank has denied that.

The Vatican Bank did NOT deny, however, of investing its own monies in Russia, nor from receiving financial support or other kinds of benefits or advantages for its investments in Russia. The Vatican Bank also did not deny purchasing assets outside of Russia, from Russian interests, who are under embargo and cannot liquidate their assets overseas.

But The Pillar’s coverage opens with the sentence: “Vatican City’s commercial bank denied Saturday that it holds deposits and lends money to the Russian state”.

Is it highly likely that Pope Francis recently made comments about imperial Russia based on the Vatican portfolio? Yes, but it is just as likely that, having promoted so many from outside of the Roman Curia, and ignored those who work for him in the Roman Curia, that his closest advisers are letting Bergoglio be Bergoglio and mess up public statements to his personal detriment.

Peronism requires that you say that you agree with everyone, but really agree with no one. Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been described by authors inside and outside of Argentina for several decades as being committed to this political ideal of mismanagement.