O Vatican in an apparent attempt to increase the trust of the faithful that their charitable contributions to the Pope Francis are used, released this Thursday (16) the first detailed disclosure of its main fund.
The Peter’s Pence fund, whose objective is to help the pope manage the Church consists of a collection made in Roman Catholic dioceses around the world once a year, individual contributions and inheritances and legacies.
According to the balance sheet for 2021, contributions amounted to 46.9 million euros . Compared to the figures previously released, the collection fell 15% compared to 2020, which in turn dropped 18% compared to 2019. Between 2015 and 2019, the reduction was 23%.
Vatican Economy Minister Father Antonio Guerrero said the drop in 2020-2021 was due, at least in part, to Covid-19 pandemic when many churches were closed.
Many Catholics, however, say they have stopped contributing because of Vatican financial scandals, such as the one involving the purchase of a building in London. That investment is at the heart of an ongoing corruption trial.
When the Vatican released some of its 2020 overall figures, the most detailed ever, Guerrero said the Vatican’s finances had to be a “glass house”, adding that the faithful have a “right to know how we use the resources”.
The fund’s disbursements totaled 65.3 million euros, leaving a deficit of 18.4 million euros that was covered by other Vatican revenues.
Significantly, the first-time disclosure detailed how the money was spent. Around 55.5 million euros were used to help defray the costs of the Vatican’s departments, its embassies around the world, its communication structure and help local churches.
Around €10 million from Peter’s Pence was earmarked for 157 direct assistance projects, including those to help the poor, children, the elderly and victims of natural disasters and war. Most of the projects were in the Africa and on Asia .
The release provided details of some of the direct assistance projects, such as the construction of a youth building in Haiti and another to end online sexual exploitation and child trafficking in Philippines .
The changes in transparency regarding Peter’s Pence resulted from a decree by Pope Francis in December 2020.
Source: CNN Brasil
