“A believer, a priest, a bishop should view material goods as useful things, without becoming enslaved by them. Thus, within the specific competencies of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), we should clearly know the purposes that these goods must serve. The purposes are those of the Church, her service to God and man, so that the Gospel may always shine forth from the works supported by such goods”. Mgr. Nunzio Galantino, Secretary General of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), said this in an interview with the Italian daily “Avvenire”, after being appointed President of the APSA. For Mgr. Galantino, “money is not bad in itself. It becomes bad when it is used badly, without transparency or for purposes that lead to the subservience and exclusion of individuals or entire groups. And sometimes, sadly, even of peoples, as history shows”. The Secretary General spoke of Pope Francis as “an extraordinary role model”, and thanked him “for the confidence and affection he has never failed to show me”. Recalling the years spent at the CEI, he added: “There have been plenty of good times, especially during the meetings with all the bishops, feeling their closeness and sharing with them the fatigue of going out on the streets as Pope Francis encourages us to do. I experienced both the joy of the journey, and the fatigue to see how much energy it takes to follow the Holy Father, which is ultimately to learn ever more at the school of the Gospel”.