He Toto-Cardinalsas in Rome ironically they refer to the popular ritual of trying to guess who will be the next Papait has been partially eclipsed by another debate in recent days – also quite pressing – for the conclave. How to solve the problem of The Maltrecha Finance of the Vatican?
Gathered in their General congregationssupreme organ of ‘vacant headquarters’, The cardinals of They have begun to discuss on how to deal with the delicate economic situation of the Holy See. And it would not cause stupor that a potato candidate has been removed. “He deficit It will be a very serious problem for the next Pope, whoever is, “he confessed a cardinal who requested anonymity, cited by The Republic. “It would take a miracle,” he added, by pointing out the reality of The decrease in donations and the load that implies The kind Vatican pension system.
According to unofficial figures (the Vatican has not spread its last economic balances), the hole would not be lower. In recent years, in fact, the Holy See has closed Your balance sheet balances. The last acquaintance is from 70 million eurosin 2024. The previous one of 2023, of about 83 million. And the reason is precisely that: that the donates come, mainly, from five countries, USA, Italy, Germany, Spain y South Korea. That is, all countries in which he number of faithful is in descent. Which adds to that, In the case of the US In particular, Francisco’s papacy has generated discomfort Among many conservative Catholics, or ultraconservatives, discontent With its progressive reforms.
Scandals
One more element have been The last scandals that have involved Vatican devices. The most popular has been that of the well -known Ángel Becciu, an Italian cardinal that the Pope separated from the curia after it was discovered that it was the center of a complex network that uncovered the misuse of the San Pedro Obola donation fund that the faithful around the world make to the Pope For charity works and the operation of the Vatican.
As discovered by Vatican Justice and for what condemned him in 2023 for MalversaciónBecciu, a substitute for general matters of the Secretary of State of the Vatican between 2011 and 2018, would also have carried out Financial investments riskysuch as the purchase of a luxury building in London, in Sloane Avenue, for about 350 million euros.
With this as a starting point, The Vaticanwhich as usual gives information on droppers about the most delicate issues, for the moment has not provided much information. In fact, the director of the press room of the Holy See, only reported that the matter was one of the main issues of the general congregation on Wednesday. In this meeting, according to Bruni, the German cardinal, Reinhard MarxCoordinator of the Economy Council, presented the updated panorama of the existing “challenges and problems.
Frozen wages
In this context, the cardinals would have offered “proposals oriented to the sustainability and reiterating the importance of economic structures continue to support the papacy’s mission, “according to the spokesperson. Christoph SchönbornPresident of Vatican Bank Ior Bank – in the past, in the sights of many scandals – the Spanish cardinal Fernando VérgezEmeritus President of the Government of the city of the Vatican, and the American cardinal Kevin FarrellPresident of the Investment Committee and current chamberlain (Interim Head of State), among others. The nun did not intervene, however Raffaella Petrinithe head of the state of the city of the Vatican appointed by Francisco.
In reflection of the tense climate that is lived in the Vatican also Vatican employees are In revolt. So much that this week they have taken the moment to claim, through a statement, A rise in their salaries (frozen since 2008), which has opened another front. “Let us not forget that, with a frozen salary base since 2008, the purchasing power of the wages of Vatican employees has been reduced, in the face of a growing workload and mechanisms that do not always seem meritocratic in the allocation of bonuses and promotions,” said the association of lay dependents of the Vatican.
The matter is not trivial, also because all these challenges will now fall on the future Pope. In fact, Francisco tried In past years clean up the accounts of the Holy See, among other measures, selling real estate heritage and asking the Vatican employees to press the belt. Hence the importance of income derived from Vatican museums, which are currently one of the main sources of financing for the Holy See. But that, obviously, It has not been enough.
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