Vatican’s 2008 Financial Report Summary

August 18, 2009

Here in the US, we are becoming accustomed to seeing many of our parishes and dioceses publish financial reports at the end of each fiscal year.  These reports promote financial accountability and transparency. They also encourage a sense of responsibility among parishioners. 

Catholics will be interested to note that the Vatican has also released a top-level report of its finances for the fiscal year 2008.   All figures are in Euros.  As of today, 1 Euro = 1.44 US dollars.

The Vatican’s finances are kept in two different categories.   First is the pastoral work of the Holy See, officially known as the work of the “Dicasteries and Organisms of the Holy See.”   This includes all  ministry and charity work, as well as the Pope’s pastoral care around the world.  The second is the “Governorate of Vatican City State” which basically covers all of the support services for the territory.  This includes, for example, security, utilities, and maintenance.

The Dicasteries and Organisms of the Holy See employ 2,732 people (2,206 men and 526 women).  Employee categories are as follows: 761 priests, 334 religious, and 1,637 lay. 

Figures for the pastoral work of the Holy See for Fiscal Year 2008 were as follows:

  • Total Revenue:  253,953,869 Euros
  • Total Expenses: 254,865,383 Euros
  • Net: -911,514 Euros

The Vatican City State employs 1,894 persons (1589 men and 305 women).  The majority, 1,835, are lay people and 59 are religious.  The Vatican City State ended fiscal year 2008 with a deficit of 15,313,124 Euros.  Major expenses included a study for a new internet/phone communications system, new solar panels, maintenance of the vast artwork including that in the Vatican Museums, extension of visitors’ hours, security expenses, restructuring the Apostolic Library, and major restoration work at two basilicas, St. Paul Outside-the-Walls and St. Mary Major.  As can be expected, Vatican finances also were negatively impacted by the worldwide economic crisis.

The largest donations from Catholics to the Vatican as a whole came from the US, Italy and Germany.  Catholics in Korea and Japan also gave large donations, on a per capita basis.

All financial records were audited and certified, according to the Vatican’s newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

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Conference on Pastoral Life Coordinators

August 11, 2009

The National Pastoral Life Center (NPLC) is a great resource for parishes.  Recently they announced a new conference for and about Parish Life Coordinators.  The conference is titled “Extraordinary Pastoring” and will be held in Michigan on January 25-28, 2010. 

NPLC took the lead many, many years ago, under the direction of the late Msgr. Phil Murnion, in sponsoring the first-ever gathering of parish life coordinators.  It is good to see them continue to provide much needed resources in this area, especially with a stellar list of speakers.

For those who may be unaware, Parish Life Coordinators is the term that has evolved to cover those individuals (whether lay, religious sisters or brothers, or deacons) who are responsible for a parish which has no resident priest-pastor.   Many other terms were used in previous years, from lay pastors to parish coordinators.  With the work of the bishops’ conference in the areas of lay ministry and pastoral practices, much discussion and reflection led to the selection of the term “parish life coordinator” as a consistent one across the US.

This conference will be invaluable, not only for parish life coordinators, but also for priests responsible for parishes with pastoral life coordinators and for diocesan staff with such parishes.

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New US Ambassador to the Vatican, Miguel Diaz

August 6, 2009

On August 4, the US Senate confirmed Miguel Diaz as the US ambassador to the Vatican.  What makes this appointment so intriguing is that Diaz is a Catholic theologian, the first-ever to be appointed to this position.  Often, diplomats have a political career history.  Although Diaz was active in President Obama’s campaign, serving on the Catholic advisory group, he is by training and practice a theologian. 

Until now, Diaz has been employed as a professor of theology at both St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and at the College of St. Benedict, also in Minnesota.  He was born in Cuba and is also the first Hispanic American to serve as ambassador.

It should be fascinating to watch the dialogue between the Vatican and the US during Diaz’s term.  His ability to understand and apply theological language to our political actions should be a big plus all around.  Stay tuned…

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