Pope Francis has always been known for his austere lifestyle even when he was still serving as one of the senior clergymen in his hometown Buenos Aires. And, he was able to maintain his frugal ways even after taking over the highest post in the Vatican.

Living up to his call for the church to practice austerity, the bishop of Rome has just approved new rules on Thursday, March 10, 2016, that will allow for more stringent ways to implement the canonization process.

Leaked Documents Showing Financial Mismanagement

The new set of rules approved by the Pope aims to ensure that there will be transparency throughout the whole process, particularly in the financial aspect. It will also include more regular and detailed accounting as well as imposing disciplinary measures for those who are involved in the process and will be proven to abuse his office.

This came on the heels of the controversy that started out from Italian journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi. The journalists published leaked documents that indicate improper use of money by the Vatican staff, which includes that of the canonization process.

Nuzzi detailed the financial aspect of the sainthood process in his book "Merchants in the Temple," where he claims that, on the average, it costs 500,000 euros or $550,000. He also cited the mismanagement of the funds by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Advocates and press freedom groups are now supporting the two journalists as Vatican prosecutes the pair regarding the leaked documents.

The Costly and Time-Consuming Process

The approved new set of standards will govern how the financial aspect involved in the process is established and managed. A good amount of money is used up in the investigations that are conducted in the lives of those who are prospective candidates for sainthood.

In the initial stages of the process like in the "Roman phase," extensive and costly activities are done like the gathering of proof or evidence at the diocesan level. There is also the painstaking preparation of a position paper for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. This detailed paper contains the most mundane everyday life and career of the person in consideration to become one of the saints.

Pope Francis is set to sign the decree for the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata and four others on March 15. The dates and venue of their sainthood ceremony will also be announced by that time.

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