Go here to read the story. The current Pope would be unable to run a lemonade stand, let alone a global Church, but Vatican finances have been a mess for a very long time, long before the current Pope was born. Sexual scandals at the Vatican get all the press, but the way the clergy misuses the hard earned donations of the Faithful is a crime that cries out to God. Little wonder that Christ said that the love of money is the root of all evil.
Vatican Going Broke
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 41 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Our Parish Priest is from Tanzania. The Parish recently updated the crying room to close off the toilet and move it outside. During the renovations, I personally saw him measure up the door frame and I’m certain he co-ordinated the whole thing as cost-effectively as possible.
The reason I think this is that Fathers last Homily during the Opening School Mass to the students, was to remind them to thank their parents for sending them to school and working hard to afford things for them. A simple message which kids these days overlook.
Basically, what I’m trying to get at is this Priest has come from a place which is not affluent or wealthy and knows the value of a dollar, and more importantly, he knows that money serves a purpose and nothing more. Many of the Priests coming out of Africa appreciate Gods material blessings.
Holy Mother Church might actually be better off if the Vatican went broke. Then the Princes of the Church might not be able to arrange Synod meetings and publish heretical papers on this or that extra-liturgical blessings, or studies promoting a re-think of contraception
No problem. Starting immediately, there will be a mandatory 10% tithing and for reception of the Eucharist eligibility, $10 per host. For the sacrament of reconciliation, it’ll will be a standard $12.50, with a $25.00 charge if it includes mortal sins.
One shouldn’t be too surprised. Leftist and clerics don’t have a great track record when it comes to managing finances. It comes from a habit of using other people’s money.
My favorite part is Becciu being spared the financial axe.
Tells you everything you need to know. The Vatican is Mos Eisley without the shame.
Dale Price, You have insulted every hole-in-the-wall town worldwide. Mos Eisley was a virtuous paradise compared to the Vatican and environs.Even the devils now refuse to look inside the Vatican walls. Guy, Texas
Well, you can start by unloading all the real estate outside the Vatican’s treaty boundaries. Deed it over to the local diocese or sell it on the open market. Liquidate all business interests other than publicly traded equities. Reduce the staff of the Holy See’s ‘diplomatic corps’ and have them rent digs and office space. Shut down the “Institute of Religious Works” and deposit the Holy See’s assets in a multiplicity of banks in a multiplicity of hard currency countries. Limit air travel vouchers to employees of the Holy See whose post or principal residence is abroad, and only re-imburse for travel between home and work. As for the Pope, stop traveling outside the Archdiocese of Rome. If the Pope wants to tootle around Rome, it’s him and a plainclothes Swiss Guard in a Fiat. The Holy See’s budget should give priority to seeing to it that the physical plant and treasures (including the contents of the library and archives) are kept in satisfactory repair. Shut down the pontifical councils and the wheel-spinning dicasteries. Publish audited balance sheets and statements of income.
The Vatican Bank is being used for money laundering and probably has been so for decades.
Between this and the clerical abuse scandal some clergy in the Church are looking very much like Eli’s wicked sons in the Fall of the House of Eli in 1 Samuel. Abusive clergy have been found with their hands in the Church’s till.
A poor Church is one where those after the perks and the bling don’t show up. Solves a lot of problems right there.
I’d rather have a holy Mass in my barn than well heeled Masses with Fr Passtheplate.
PS SAVE MONEY – CANCEL THE SYNOD!