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Consolidated
Budget of the Holy See, the Governorate of Vatican City State and
Peter's Pence
The 43rd meeting of the
Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organizational and Economic
Problems of the Holy See was held in the Vatican on Wednesday, 1,
Thursday 2 and Friday 3 July, chaired by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, SDB,
Secretary of State.
Taking part were Cardinal
Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne, Germany; Cardinal Antonio María
Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid, Spain; Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi,
Archbishop of Milan, Italy; Cardinal Wildrid Fox Napier, OFM, Archbishop
of Durban, South Africa; Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, Archbishop of
Lagos, Nigeria; Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, Archbishop of Lima,
Peru; Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia; Cardinal
Marc Ouellet, PSS, Archbishop of Quebec, Canada; Cardinal Jorge Liberato
Urosa Savino, Archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela; Cardinal Gaudencio B.
Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, the Philippines; Cardinal Nicholas Cheong
Jinsuk, Archbishop of Seoul, Korea; Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer,
Archbishop of São
Paulo, Brazil, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Vicar General of His Holiness
for the Diocese of Rome.
The Prefecture for the
Economic Affairs of the Holy See was represented by Bishop Velasio De
Paolis, CS, President, Bishop Vincenzo Di Mauro, Secretary and by Mr
Stefano Fralleoni, General Accountant. The five International Revisers
were also present on the first day.
The Governorate of Vatican
City State and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See
(APSA) were represented by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, President of the
Cardinal's Commission for Vatican City State, and Cardinal Attilio
Nicora and Archbishop-Bishop Domenico Calcagno, respectively President
and Secretary of APSA.
Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ,
and Mr Alberto Gasbarri, Administrative Director, invited to speak by
Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State, addressed those present.
The following items were on
the agenda:
—
Consolidated Budget of the Holy See for the financial year 2008;
—
Consolidated Budget of the Governorate of Vatican City State for 2008;
—
Peter's Pence and contributions on the basis of can. 1271 of the Code of
Canon Law, received in 2008.
The meeting opened with the
presentation of the International Auditors, who shared their appraisals
regarding the statements and the organizational structures of the
competent Offices. This was followed by extensive discussion.
His Excellency Mons.
Velasio De Paolis presented the Holy See's Consolidated Financial
Statement for 2008, which showed a total revenue of €253,953,869 and
expenses of €254,865,383, with a net deficit of €911,514.
It should be noted that, in
conformity with the provisions adopted by way of exception by the
International Accounting institutes and monetary authorities of diverse
countries, criteria of evaluation are applied that are intended to
prevent the computation of potential capital losses due to the acute
phases of global economic crisis in the financial sector, and the
relative consequences in the final net results.
The expenses can be
attributed for the most part to the ordinary and extraordinary expenses
of the Dicasteries and Organisms of the Holy See, which, with their
specific activities and competences, participate in the Supreme
Pontiff's pastoral care for the universal Church. In this context, ample
space was given to media, with particular attention to Vatican Radio.
The above-mentioned
Organizations employ 2,732 people, of whom 761 are priests, 334
religious (246 men and 88 women) and 1,637 lay people (1,199 men and 438
women).
Bishop de Paolis, the
President of the Prefecture, then presented the 2008 Consolidated Budget
for the Governorate which, as is known, provides for the management of
the territory, the institutions and the structures, as well as for the
exercise of activities in support of the Holy See. Like other States,
the Vatican has also been affected by the global financial crisis,
ending the financial year with a deficit of €15,313,124. It is to be
noted in addition that the activity of the Governorate is independent of
any contribution from the Holy See or from other institutions, either
ecclesiastical or civil.
In Vatican City State,
there are 1,894 employees, of which 31 are men religious, 28 women
religious, 1,558 lay men and 277 lay women.
In the period in question,
the Governorate in conjunction with the Holy See embarked on the study
of an integrated communications infrastructure, which is comprised of
the internet and telephone services. Moreover, the panels of the
Vatican's first solar energy plant were installed on the roof of the
Paul VI Audience Hall. In continuity with its commitment in the previous
year, the Governorate saw to the protection and appraisal of the
artistic patrimony, and particularly that of the Vatican Museums,
augmenting the areas open to the public as well as extending the
visiting hours.
The economic and financial
burden sustained for the protection, appraisal and restoration of the
artistic patrimony of the Holy See (such as the restoration of the
Pauline Chapel and work on the Papal Basilicas of St Paul
Outside-the-Walls and St Mary Major) was considerable.
The costs of security
within Vatican City State and of the extensive work involved in
restructuring the Apostolic Library were likewise high.
The President of the
Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See also spoke on the
situation of the pension fund, to which on 31 December 2008 there were
4,601 subscribers registered.
The budgets, as usual, have
been audited and certified.
A presentation of Peter's
Pence Collection followed, consisting of the sum total of donations sent
to the Holy Father by local Churches
—
above all on the occasion of the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul
—
by the Institutions of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life,
by Foundations and members of the faithful.
In 2008 Peter's Pence
amounted overall to US$ 75,785,574. In comparison with the previous
year, in spite of an increase in donations from dioceses, religious and
foundations, there was a slight decrease in the total amount
contributed, also due to the general financial situation.
The largest donations in
2008 came from Catholics in the United States, Italy and Germany; also
significant, in relation to the number of Catholics, were the
contributions from Korea and Japan.
In support of the central
structure of the Church, through their bond of unity and charity, the
Bishops contributed in accordance with the possibilities of their
respective dioceses, in accord with can. 1271, the sum of €20,980,140.
The largest contribution was given by the dioceses of Germany, followed
by those of the United States.
As is well known, these
contributions are to be clearly distinguished from those established by
bilateral accords
—
such as for example the L'Otto per mille (Eight for every
thousand) in Italy
—which
are allocated instead to local Churches.
During the course of the
meeting the Holy Father paid a visit to the participants and listened,
with particular interest, to their observations. After having made
several comments of a pastoral nature, he thanked everyone for their
collaboration.
At the end of the meeting,
the Members of the Council expressed their gratitude to those who, in a
generous and often anonymous way, support the apostolic and pastoral
ministry of the Holy Father at the service of the universal Church.
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