UNITED STATES
Christian Catholicism
Jerry Slevin
Money may not be the root of all evil, but it seems to be at the heart of many Vatican scandals. This should not be surprising given the Vatican’s long history as an unaccountable and self-perpetuating monarchical clique. For the entire adult life of the current Vatican clique and their carefully selected Cardinals, they could assume comfortably they answered to no earthly power and were financially self sufficient. Not any more, whether they realize that or not!
So where’s the money? Much of the Vatican’s key funding comes from the USA and Germany, in contributions and governmental subsidies. Key financial officials, including the new head of the Vatican Bank, are also often from Germany or the USA.
Similarly, German political and legal clout in Europe and the USA’s clout everywhere are something the Vatican needs to manage or at least avoid. Can the Vatican salvage these subsidies and contributions and hold off national investigations merely by electing a new Pope? Not likely, the Vatican will need major reforms and that likely requires holding a Church council in the near future.
Any chance of managing the USA’s clout, including through the U.S. Supreme Court, was eliminated by the Shadow Pope, Joseph Ratzinger, and Cardinal Dolan’s recent inept effort to prevent President Obama’s re-election with a hopeless anti-contraception and gay marriage crusade. Dolan failed even to fraternally correct one of his fellow U.S. bishops who shamefully compared President Obama to Hitler and Stalin. What a great Pope Dolan would make!
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