Vatican finances presented to Economic Council of Cardinals
July 04, 2013: On Tuesday & Wednesday (July 2 and 3rd), the meeting of the Council
of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See
took place in Vatican City, presided over by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio
Bertone . Particularly noteworthy was the visit on Wednesday 3 by Pope Francis, who
addressed the speakers and engaged in a brief dialogue, reiterating the aims and purpose
of the Council and inviting the continuation of periodical meetings.
The following
Cardinals participated in the meeting: Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Köln (Germany),
Antonio María Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid (Spain), Polycarp Pengo, archbishop
of Dar-el-Salaam (Tanzania), Norberto Rivera Carrera, archbishop of México (México),
Wilfrid Fox Napier, o.f.m., archbishop of Durban (South Africa), Angelo Scola, archbishop
of Milan (Italy), Telesphore Placidus Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi (India), George
Pell, archbishop of Sydney (Australia), Agostino Vallini, vicar general of His Holiness
for the diocese of Rome, John Tong Hon, bishop of Hong Kong (China), Jorge Liberato
Urosa Savino, archbishop of Caracas (Venezuela), Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of
São Paulo (Brazil).
The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
was represented by the president, Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, the secretary, Msgr.
Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, and the Accountant General, Stefano Fralleoni. Antonio
Chiminello, director of the State Accounting Administration, spoke on behalf of the
Governorate of Vatican City State.
The Governorate of Vatican City State and
the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) were represented by:
Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello and Msgr. Giuseppe Sciacca, president of the Commission
of Cardinals for Vatican City State and the secretary general of the Governorate of
Vatican City State respectively, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno and Msgr. Luigi Misto,
president and secretary of APSA respectively.
Upon invitation by the Cardinal
Secretary of State, the following speakers intervened: Fr. Federico Lombardi s.j.
and Alberto Gasbarri, director general and administrative director of Vatican Radio
respectively; Marco Pacciarini, Lorenzo Suraci and Fernando Giménez Barriocanal, members
of the Commission charged with formulating a technical appraisal of Vatican Radio;
Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
(Propaganda Fidei), who gave a report on this latter Dicastery and on the Pontifical
Missionary Works; Peter Sutherland, consultor for APSA, who explained the current
macroeconomic situation and the investment policies of the aforementioned Administration;
Ernst Von Freyborg, president of the IOR, who in conformity with article 25 § 2 of
the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, gave a presentation to the Cardinal Fathers
on the Institute’s current situation, followed by a broad discussion on suitable clarifications.
In addition, Msgr. Luigi Mistò spoke about the problem of safeguarding and appraising
the patrimony of ecclesiastical entities.
Following an introduction by the
Cardinal Secretary of State and Cardinal Versaldi, the accountant general first read
the report on the consolidated financial statement of the Holy See for the year 2012
and subsequently that of the Governorate of Vatican City State. Msgr. Vallejo Balda
instead focused on four areas – the Holy See-Roman Curia, the Holy See-Pastoral, the
Holy See-Charity and Vatican City State – which together form the integrated financial
statement of the two entities in question.
The consolidated financial statement
for the Holy See for the year 2012 closes with a profit of € 2,185,622, due mainly
to good performance in financial management. The most significant categories of expenditure
are those regarding the cost of personnel, numbering 2,823 units on 31 December 2012,
means of social communication considered in their entirety, and the new property taxes
(IMU) which resulted in an increase in expenditure of € 5,000,000 compared to previous
figures.
The Governorate has an autonomous Administration independent from
contributions of the Holy See and, through its various Directions, provides for the
needs relating to the management of the State. The 2012 financial statement, while
affected by the global economic climate, closed with a profit of € 23,079,800, an
increase of over a million euros compared to that of the previous year. A total of
1,936 were employed on 31 December 2012.
Peter’s Pence, the contributions offered
by the faithful in support of the Holy Father’s charity, passed from USD 69,711,722.76
in 2011, to USD 65,922,637.08, registering a reduction of 11.91%. Further contributions
to the Holy See on the part of the Institutes of Consecrated Life, Societies of Apostolic
Life and Foundations passed from USD 1,194,217.78, in 2011, to USD 1,133,466.91, with
a reduction of 5.09%. In total, therefore, there has been a decrement of 7.45% compared
to the total in US dollars recorded in 2011.
The Institute for the Works of
Religion (IOR), as each year, offered the Holy Father a significant sum in support
of his apostolic and charitable ministry. For 2012 this was a sum of € 50,000,000,
to which € 1,000,000 is to be added for the Amazon Fund, € 1,500,000 for the Pro-orantibus
Fund (support for cloistered monasteries), € 1,500,000 for the San Sergio Fund (support
for the Church in the former Soviet Union), € 1,000,000 for the Commission for Latin
America, and other minor donations.
The Cardinal Fathers reflected on the data
presented in the financial statements, verifying the positive results attained, and
encouraged the reform necessary to reduce costs through the simplification and rationalisation
of existent bodies, as well as more careful planning of the activities of all administrations.
The Members of the Council expressed their deep gratitude for the support given, often
anonymously, to the Holy Father’s universal ministry in spite of moments of economic
crisis, and encouraged perseverance in this good work.