Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-21
MONEY FOR THE POPE
Appeal Sent Out by the Papal
Delegate.
LOSS IN REVIEW UES
IMMENSE EXPENSES CONNECTED
WITH THE VATICAN.
Catholics in America Urged to Increase
Their Contributions of Peters
Pence in Various Ways.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The Evening Star and the Chicago
Record Herald
BY instructions from the cardinal secre-
tary of state at Rome, Archbishop Fall
COMO the APOSTLE legate at Washington,
is making an appeal to the faithful of the
Catholic Church in America for enlarged
contributions to Peters pence, upon which
the holy depends for funds to meet cur
rent expenses. A committee of business
men, who were appointed to make an in
yestigation shortly after the accession of
Plus x, found the finances in very bad con-
dition. The generosity and liberality of
Leo XIII was greater than his income
should have permitted, and imprudent in
vestment and bad management considerably
reduced the permanent funds Leo XIII
founded schools, hospitals and other benev-
olent institutions; he made frequent ana
liberal contributions toward the erection of
churches, converts and seminaries; he aid
ed many religious organizations; gave gen.
erouS allowances and pensions to aged &C.
clesiastics: was liberal in his donations to
the poor, and he had nothing to meet these
expenses with except limited income from
permanent fund which kept growing
smaller, and the money thatswas contribut-
ed through the regular channels as Peters
pence and anniversary gifts.
The pope has absolute control Of all of
the funds of the church. No one can ques-
ton his disposition of them and no state
Eent of receipts and expenditures is ever
published; but for the sake of convenience
he appoints a treasurer, cashier and book
keeper, and a committee of finance, who
take charge of his moneys and the gifts re-
ceived and direct the disbursements. This
committee is usually composed of eccle-
siastics, and under Leo XIII consisted of
Cardinals Mocenni, Cretoni and Macci; all
of them aged and infirm men who had little
experience in business and proved to be
unWlse in their management of affairs, so
that when the auditors appointed by Plus
X looked over their accounts it was found
that the permanent fund, which had
amounted to bout 20 900 900 francs at the
beginning of the pontificate of Leo had
been reduced nearly one-half. A little more
than 40Oo0,O00 francs remained and some
OF that was invested in doubtful securities
New Pope's Innovation.
The present pope made sensible depar-
lure by taking the finances out of the
hands of priests and intrusting them to
committee of business men of recognized
integrity and long experience, the chair
man being the managing director of the
Bank of Italy.
1t was popular impression that Leo
XIII had large sum in cash in the Vati-
can, but it was never found About Z, 600 900
francs In French consols were discovered
In desk In his chamber, and their pres
ence there has never been explained. The
financial committee and the cardinal secre-
tary Of state did not know where they
came from or why he kept them In so care
less a manner. Nobody seemed to know
anything about the securities, and it SEEM
ed strange that he should have kept a
million and half dollars in such care
less way Pho Centra his valet asserted
that the bonds had been in the desk for
several years.
The funeral of Leo XIII was very expen-
sve. The costs of the conclave and the
coronation were also large, and 1t has been
necessary to expend great deal of money
In repairs and in refurnshing the Vatican
in order to make it suitable residence for
the new pontiff. Nearly hundred thousand
dollars was received as gifts by the new
pope Immediately after his coronation, but
1t was melted away rapidly in meeting cur
rent expenses, and the greatest economy
has been necessary in all of the depart
ments in order to make both ends meet
: Since the revenues from the papal states
were cut off by the italian government in
1870 the holy see has been compelled to rely
almost entirely upon Peters pence and
other contributions from churches and indi-
viduals. The Italian government made a
grant of $4,000 per year to the pope as
Indemnity for the property of the church
that had been confiScated. but neither Plus
TX nor Leo XIII nor Plus X has been
willing to accept it: hence the money has
been accommodating in the Italian treasury
for over thirty years. Several pieces of
real estate in Rome and other productive
property, which escaped confscation, are
rented and yield an income of $4,000 or
10000 a year. The interest upon the per-
manent fund has been reduced to about
$4,000 a year. and Peters pence and other
contributions from all over the world have
averaged about million year. making
the revenue of the Vatican something like
a million and half dollars of American
money per annum.
Expenses of the Vatican.
From this must be paid all of the ex-
penses of the enormous organization of the
holy see which Is as large that of many
national governments, and has representa-
tives in every corner of the earth. An
average of about twenty cardinals of the
curia in charge of the several depart
ments. have to be supported, and each has
his staff of clerks and other assistants.
The roof of the Vatican shelters more than
1900 people, all of whom draw regular
salaries, but most of them are very poorly
paid. Some of the cardinals are rich and
have generous stipends from their dioceses
and a few are surrounded by luxury and
elegance, but the majority live in a mod
est and economical manner, and spend no
more than an ordinary parish priest. The
pay of the higher officials at the Vatican
is absurdly small. The director of the
famous choir of the Sistine Chapel receives
less than a letter carrier in American
city, while the project at the Vatican
pope has cut off many snecures, has abol-
ished numerous offices and discharged
many hangers-on, proteges of cardinals,
retainers of Plus TX and Leo XIII, and
other idle people and employees whom he
thought unnecessary. He has always been
a man of frugal habits. His income as
patriarch of Venice averaged less than
SO, 500 year, and he knows how to econo-
nize.
1t costs a great deal of money to keep the
Vatican in repair. 1t is very old build
ing, and is the largest in the world Some
parts of it are thousand years old A
gang of mechanics are continually en-
ployed in making necessary repairs. All of
the missionary work done directly under
the Propaganda Eide is supported from
Peters pence. The embassies at the Eu-
ropean capitals, the legations in the United
States, Canada, the South American repub-
lies and elsewhere are all supported direct
ly by the pope, and are the most expen-
sive part of the organization. Numberless
institutions scattered throughout the world
depend upon his holiness for annual con-
tributions he supports many infirm and
helpless pensioners; and the appeals to his
charity are even greater than those made
to the rulers Of Europe. The frequent
ceremonies at the Vatican and in st.
Peters must be paid for from his purse,
although the outlay is comparatively little
The most imposing ecclesiastical pageants
that can be imagined cost only few thou
g.. LII - 49, ~A.-s--<