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"The Vatican has for some years publically released its annual budget, although as a sovereign nation it is under no requirement to do so. The Vatican runs with an annual operating budget of around $300 million but keep in mind that the Vatican employs close to 3000 people and supports 1000 retirees. With that same money it keeps St Peter’s Basilica and the key Churches of Rome in operation, it maintains the Vatican museums and provides important missionary services such as the Vatican radio and newspaper. This budget does not include the monies that are sent in from the lay faithful around the world to support the charitable works of the Pope known as ‘Peter’s Pence’. Totaling around $70 million each year, Peter’s Pence is used to support ecclesial communities most often in mission countries who have no one else to turn too. The Vatican Bank, or more properly, the Institute for the Works of Religion, controls a much larger amount of money estimated to be around $6 billion, however most of it is not the money of the Vatican but religious orders, dioceses and Catholic organisations which use the money for their particular work of ministry and charity. - See more at: http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/07/07/how-wealthy-is-the-catholic-church/#sthash.biwGOdla.dpuf"
An annual budget is not the same as net worth.
The net worth of the Catholic church cannot even be estimated because they literally own priceless art, manuscripts and sculptures they never intend to sell as well as real estate.
They have more gold then some countries do. They have the largest portfolio of stocks in the world and outright own 1/3 of Italy which includes RE and business.
What they report is the tip of the iceberg. They are like the Fed, shrouded in secrecy.
You have a socialist in the Bible. His name is Jesus.
Jesus did not take from others..they freely gave to him.
He shared what was his and ASKED others to do the same but did not force them nor take it from them.
Socialism is an economic system that didn't come into being until 1000 or more years after Jesus died.
An annual budget is not the same as net worth.
The net worth of the Catholic church cannot even be estimated because they literally own priceless art, manuscripts and sculptures they never intend to sell as well as real estate.
They have more gold then some countries do. They have the largest portfolio of stocks in the world and outright own 1/3 of Italy which includes RE and business.
What they report is the tip of the iceberg. They are like the Fed, shrouded in secrecy.
The Vatican is a sovereign nation, that is my point. Its value is also much lower than many nations. But the difference between this nation and many others is its charity, whether one likes it or not.
The Vatican is a sovereign nation, that is my point. Its value is also much lower than many nations. But the difference between this nation and many others is its charity, whether one likes it or not.
I don't dispute the amount they spend on charity. Never have.
But they have more wealth in assets than they will ever need and have been implicated in shady dealings throughout their organized history.
Maybe someone should tell the pope that the really tyranny is unbridled socialism.
If he needs proof all he has to do is just look in his own backyard Italy and what unbridled socialism has done to that country.
Unbridled capitalism blossoms into plutocracy. Mergers and consolidation of power eventually corrupts the entire system.
Capitalism is not a god, it is not perfect, it needs to be tended like a garden.
When I see that we have gone from 37 major banks in 1990 to only 4 superbanks in 2013, I can't have faith in "unbridled" capitalism. Four banks in a cartel, that is tyranny. Left unfettered, we would eventually have just one bank, a monopoly with total control and tyranny.
Unbridled capitalism blossoms into plutocracy. Mergers and consolidation of power eventually corrupts the entire system.
Capitalism is not a god, it is not perfect, it needs to be tended like a garden.
When I see that we have gone from 37 major banks in 1990 to only 4 superbanks in 2013, I can't have faith in "unbridled" capitalism. Four banks in a cartel, that is tyranny. Left unfettered, we would eventually have just one bank, a monopoly with total control and tyranny.
We have that. It's called the Federal Reserve.
And those 4 super banks ? Why even they are connected if you follow the dots long enough.
Maybe someone should tell the pope that the really tyranny is unbridled socialism.
If he needs proof all he has to do is just look in his own backyard Italy and what unbridled socialism has done to that country.
Maybe someone should tell the pope that the really tyranny is unbridled socialism.
If he needs proof all he has to do is just look in his own backyard Italy and what unbridled socialism has done to that country.
Maybe someone should tell the pope that the really tyranny is unbridled socialism.
If he needs proof all he has to do is just look in his own backyard Italy and what unbridled socialism has done to that country.
Catholic theology has always been a socialist ideology of sorts. It's just now that we have a pope from Latin America we are being treated to a more forceful dose of it.
Jesus did not take from others..they freely gave to him.
He shared what was his and ASKED others to do the same but did not force them nor take it from them.
Socialism is an economic system that didn't come into being until 1000 or more years after Jesus died.
He was closer to a traditional socialist than he was a traditional capitalist.
American Christians tie themselves in knots trying to justify their love of capitalism when Jesus spoke so lowly and warned against accumulation of wealth.
You honestly think Jesus would have a problem with "socialist" policies like foodstamps, welfare, etc.?
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