Cardinal appointed by Pope Francis to reform Vatican budget accused of massive overspending
Cardinal George Pell was appointed as the Vatican’s new finance czar last year, but reportedly spent £360,000 on business-class flights, furniture and other expenses
Cardinal George Pell, a former archbishop of Sydney, was appointed as the Vatican’s new finance czar last year as the Pope embarked on sweeping reforms of the Holy See’s economy.
But his apparent taste for luxury and good living stands in stark contrast to the frugality and austerity espoused by the Pope, who lives in a modest residence rather than the opulent Apostolic Palace and has eschewed grand motorcades in favour of humble hatch-backs.
“What, is it made of gold?” the Pope reportedly asked him when told of the kitchen unit.
As head of the newly-formed Secretariat for the Economy, Cardinal Pell reportedly awarded his right-hand man, a fellow Australian, a tax-free monthly salary of 15,000 euros.
There was speculation that they were leaked in order to discredit Cardinal Pell, whose reform efforts have reportedly made him powerful enemies within the Curia, the Vatican’s governing body.
He has long been known to enjoy the trappings of power and privilege – he is one of the few cardinals still to don the “cappa magna”, a long silk scarlet cloak that has to be carried by an assistant.
The leaked documents showed that the former rugby player has come up against fierce opposition within the Vatican hierarchy to the financial reforms he has implemented on behalf of the Pope.
The Vatican angrily condemned the leaking of the documents but did not deny their authenticity.
“Passing confidential documents to the press for polemical ends or to foster conflict is not new, but is always to be strongly condemned, and is illegal,” said Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.
“The article makes direct personal attacks that should be considered undignified and petty. It is untrue that the Secretariat for the Economy is not carrying on its work with continuity and efficacy.
PAT SAYS:
So the cardinal brought in by Pope Francis to stop financial corruption and overspending at The Vatican has just spent 500,000 Euros on himself in the last 6 months!
Is this not like appointing a paedophile cardinal to be in charge of child protection in the Catholic Church?
This is the THIRD big financial scandal in the Catholic episcopate in the past year or so.
The "Bishop of Bling" (Limburg, Germany) spent Euros 50 million on renovating his episcopal palace and was removed by Pope Francis and now has a desk job in Rome.
And here in Belfast the Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor has just spent up to £ 4 million on renovating his palace.
And yet millions of Catholic will go to Mass all over the world this weekend and put money in the coffers of these men.
As long as these Catholics behave like turkeys voting for Christmas this scandal will continue.
What has all this to do with Jesus Christ and his gospel message?
What can we say about these abusing prelates?
We can say: "THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO OUT AND DO GOOD - INSTEAD THEY HAVE GONE OUT AND DONE WELL!!!!
PAT SAYS:
So the cardinal brought in by Pope Francis to stop financial corruption and overspending at The Vatican has just spent 500,000 Euros on himself in the last 6 months!
Is this not like appointing a paedophile cardinal to be in charge of child protection in the Catholic Church?
This is the THIRD big financial scandal in the Catholic episcopate in the past year or so.
The "Bishop of Bling" (Limburg, Germany) spent Euros 50 million on renovating his episcopal palace and was removed by Pope Francis and now has a desk job in Rome.
The "Bishop of Bling" |
And here in Belfast the Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor has just spent up to £ 4 million on renovating his palace.
And yet millions of Catholic will go to Mass all over the world this weekend and put money in the coffers of these men.
As long as these Catholics behave like turkeys voting for Christmas this scandal will continue.
What has all this to do with Jesus Christ and his gospel message?
What can we say about these abusing prelates?
We can say: "THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO OUT AND DO GOOD - INSTEAD THEY HAVE GONE OUT AND DONE WELL!!!!
Thankfully I saw through all this left it all behind years ago.
ReplyDeleteD. Ballymena.
Me too. Recovered Turkey :-) Falls Road.
ReplyDeleteThe vatican If I recall does not have tax on lots of goods and services. The Irish College & Lateran Basilica are extra territorial which is one of the main reasons they were used for the Irish Mass Marriage Industry. As a student i happily attended the post matrimonial meals. As a student it was free beer and grub. I do not know if the marriage industry is still as popular as it was. I remember Jack Hanley (Rector) having SCV(vatican reg plate on his car) Not sure if this got him off paying italian road tax and purchase tax on the vehicle-PS does anyone know where Daniel O Connell's heart actually is. to my knowledge it is not in the monument in the Irish college
ReplyDeleteYou drive a car and live in a house far beyond the ability of a normal family. You run a marriage business.
ReplyDeleteLarne resident and proud of my church.
I drive a 4 year old skoda which I use mainly for my ministry in Larne and all over Ireland.
DeleteI live in a house I have lived in for the past 31 years - having being sent there originally by the Bishop of Down and Connor and which again I have always used for my ministry - including taking in the homeless and giving food to the hungry - and generally keeping an open door.
Many Larne residents - Catholic and Protestant come to my door on a daily basis for all kinds of help.
I continue to live here with the agreement of the Bishop of Down and Connor in an arrangement ratified by the Belfast High Court.
It says a lot that you are proud of cardinals spending 500,000 every six months and bishops spending 57 million on their palaces.
By any chance - are you a turkey?
What a disgraceful and sad human being the Cardinal must be
ReplyDeleteI hope the Pope strips him of any of his position as Cardinal and sends him to Africa or another poor country to reflect on his greed and avarice