Should the Vatican Sell its Treasures…

Catholic Convert ^ | May 15, 2015 | Steve Ray

[NYer]

… to feed the poor?

Geez, I used to say that myself in my former life as a Protestant – when I was an anti-Catholic. Actually, if you added up all wealth and property of the Protestant churches and organizations it would FAR exceed that of the Vatican or all the individual dioceses around the world! Since it is often Protestants who make this challenge, do they ever suggest Protestants should sell all their land, buildings, pastors’ fancy cars and the mega-church $ millions?

Most people don’t realize that most of the Catholic Church’s “wealth” is in property, hospitals, schools, social services and churches. We are the largest health care provider in the world. To learn more about this, watch the fantastic video put out by www.CatholicsComeHome.com here. Click on “Epic Commercial.” This video make me PROUD to be a Catholic!

But, should the Catholic Church sell everything to feed the poor? No, first it shouldn’t and second it can’t. To find out why, read this article from Zenit (provided below). It was written several years ago but it is the same cogent argument and needs to be repeated often.

Pope Cannot Exchange Vatican Treasure for Food: Cardinal Explains Complications of Facebook Proposal

By Jesús Colina

VATICAN CITY,  (Zenit.org).- The proposal of a member of the social networking Web site Facebook suggesting that the Vatican should exchange its treasures for food in Africa is an impossibility due to international law, says Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes.

The president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum … commented on the online petition titled “Exchange the Vatican’s Treasures for Food for Africa. Do You Want to Sign a Petition?”

The cardinal noted that, apart from the ideological aspect of the proposal, the Pope cannot consider it because he is prevented from doing so by international law…

Alberto Juesas Escudero of Spain launched the initiative, which now has more than 40,000 supporters. Escudero claims “it is a shameful to see the Vatican’s riches and then watch the news.” He explained that what motivated him to issue this invitation was that he believes the Vatican “does not admit its errors. [...] It does not preach by example. Jesus was born in a cave and lived in poverty.”

The youth concluded: “The Vatican is a disgrace! The Catholic religion is a disgrace!”

In answer to ZENIT’s questions, Cardinal Cordes explained that he has heard similar proposals for the past 40 years, and that before it was even much more frequent.

When John Paul II called him to Rome to work in the Curia, he observed that “the climate against the Vatican was very strong.” He explained, “I had looked into [the status of the Vatican’s holdings] and found out that the Church cannot do what it wants with the works of art that are in the Vatican.”

"Going once, going twice...sold! How much for this Pieta?

Duty of the Church

In reality, he said, the Church “has the duty to conserve the works of art in the name of the Italian state.” He affirmed, “It cannot sell them.”
 
The prelate recalled an incident in the 1970s when a benefactor made a donation to renovate the Collegio Teutonico inside the Vatican, and the residence director wanted to give this person a small statue — of a meager value compared to the others in the Vatican Museums — as a gesture of gratitude. 

The German benefactor had a lot of problems with the Italian state, as he was accused of taking goods that Italy was charged with safeguarding. ”In every country there are a lot of measures for the defense of works of art, because the state has a duty to maintain them,” Cardinal Cordes added, noting that the Holy See treasures are also part of Italian cultural history.

The Cor Unum president underlined the work of the Catholic Church in health services and education in various regions in Africa. ”When they come to meet the Pope, the African presidents recognize this,” he said.

Without the Church, he affirmed, a huge part of those afflicted with AIDS would be abandoned, because the Church, with its network of hospitals, is the organization that cares for the largest number of people affected by the virus.

[daniel1212]

Just removing the jewels and gold from the thousands of corpses they have stashed could probably feed an entire 3rd world nation for ages! That would be a great place to start...

Perhaps not for long, but better than Pope Francis Calls For 'Legitimate Redistribution' of Wealth ...

[caww]

When one views Francis as a co-operative agent for the Globalist Agenda...then it's very easy to understand what he is doing. Which has nothing to do with "Peace" or concern for the needy, though it's a good show.

BTW the catholic church isn't the only institute playing in their game....there's plenty now of the mainline churches joining in as well. Quite interesting watching them operate and the masks each is wearing to promote the Globalist Agenda.

[caww]

Pope Francis...."an important part of humanity does not share in the benefits of progress and is in fact relegated to the status of second-class citizens.”

The Vatican has large investments with the 'Rothschilds' of Britain, France and America, with the 'Hambros Bank', with the 'Credit Suisse' in London and Zurich..... In the United States it has large investments with the 'Morgan Stanley Bank', the 'Chase-Manhattan Bank', the 'First National Bank of New York', the 'Bankers Trust Company', and others..... The Vatican has billions of shares in the most powerful international corporations including in many corporations part of the US Military Industrial Complex whose main profit is from weapons of war and destruction.

The assets and real estate holdings exceed those of Exxon/Mobil, A.T.&T., and U.S. Steel combined and it’s roster of dues-paying members is second only to the tax rolls of the United States Government.’

The Catholic church is the most formidable stockbroker in the world!

The Vatican’s treasure of solid gold has been estimated by the United Nations World Magazine to amount to several billion dollars. A large bulk of this is stored in gold ingots with the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, while banks in England and Switzerland hold the rest.

When to this is added all the real estate, property, stocks and shares abroad, then the staggering accumulation of the wealth of the Catholic church becomes so formidable as to defy any rational assessment.

He should lead by example....this grotesque massive thing above the Popes throne would catch a pretty price to re-distribute the wealth

[SumProVita]

Please provide your source of information.

[smvoice]

..and I thought all they had was that little Vatican gift shop..

[caww]

the ‘United Nations World Magazine’ as mentioned in the post and various other internet sources....you can find others simply by googling. It’s all over the internet. Here’s just a few.....to help you out.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/14/16957985-inside-the-vatican-the-8-billion-global-institution-where-nuns-answer-the-phones?lite

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/08/us/american-archbishops-lavish-homes/

http://humansarefree.com/2012/03/christian-church-is-biggest-financial.html

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wealth-of-roman-catholic-church-impossible-to-calculate

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-rich-vatican-so-wealthy-it-can-stumble-across-millions-euros-just-tucked-away-1478219

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/financial-scandals-the-hidden-wealth-of-the-catholic-church-a-700513.html

[caww]

Can’t hardly believe any in the catholic empire don’t see the vast wealth within it’s institute. But they do know, they just don’t want to be made seen as they really are.....and that’s beyond excessive in their wealth. Centuries of accumulated wealth and investments....and it began earnestly centuries ago by the greed and corruption that has always been in the catholic church leadership.

[SumProVita]

A great deal of this is misrepresenting actual facts. It is also old news in that the financial aspect of the Vatican (for far too long in pathetic secular hands) has been cleaned up and continues to be properly re-organized by the good Cardinal Pell from Australia.

You should know that most of the sources you have noted are all suspect in how they report on the Catholic Church, which most dislike intensely. Most media sources cannot be relied on for really objective or substantive reporting of any kind these days. Many of the same media sources are just as likely to *report* that homosexuality is a genetic defect that is inherited.

The only story that has any ring of truth to it concerns some bishops who lived in lavish homes(many of whom have changed that now as called for by Pope Francis...but does not tell the whole story there either. Several were living in what were referred to as *lavish* homes for various legitimate and prudent reasons. Some lived in such homes because they are human sinners who made wrong choices.

Better sources are necessary for substantive information....especially these days.

[johngrace]

That is nothing to what is given yearly. Tens of Billions of dollars and more are given to help people every year. I help moderator a 300,000 member Catholic page on Facebook. Most are from Africa. They state if it wasn't for the Catholic church they would not have anything. Their words not mine. They are grateful and have such a faith when I ask for prayers you can't even walk without the presence of the Holy Spirit all over you like your in the Heavenlies. Too awesome to describe. Too many pharisees acting types on these threads called the religion forum. The accusations mean nothing compared to the true reality of His Church. Praise Jesus Christ for the Church.

[caww]

LOLOLOL

[delchiante]

sum, I have been greatly blessed.

He has led me out and I have never been more free..

looking forward to His New Moon Day tomorrow.
it begins His 3rd month and getting closer to the ‘60’ part of Israel’s 30/60/100 day journey in the wilderness. what a blessing to see the first exodus is a shadow of our own..

who knew Israel had their own 30/60/100 fold before the Savior used it in the parable!

May He bless you more than He has me

[SumProVita]

Well, delchiante, I sense that you are a very good person and know that you are VERY loved by our God. I also thank you for the blessing. I happily accept all that comes from our God. :-)

I must share that I too left the Church for about 15 years for a variety of reasons. Actually this was true of my husband as well. I was Catholic and he was Southern Baptist and neither of us was practicing our Christianity...though both of us had had a firm relationship with God when we were younger. Long story short, the Hound of Heaven reached down to bring us back into that relationship with Himself via an interdenominational prayer group several years ago. We began to follow Christ then as adults with a much firmer commitment. In following Him, we were both led to the Catholic Church even though we disagreed with a few Teachings of the Church but we KNEW this was where HE wanted us to be. He made it quite clear! Eventually, after much prayer and study, we discovered how we had been deceived by the satan regarding those issues we had had. We learned the how and why of all the Teachings and repented and asked forgiveness for our wrong judgment regarding them. God has been patient and full of love with us as we work to grow in the holiness to which He calls all of us. We are both very active in the Church and work hard to bring others into a close relationship with the Triune God.

We were bought with a price and we understand that we are called to share the Good News with others and bring them also into a deeper relationship with their Creator.

Only when many more people enter into a profound relationship with their saving God, will this nation (and the world) have a REAL opportunity to turn this world around from the present direction to which it is presently heading.

May our God grant you an abundance of blessing and His special protection in the days ahead of us.....for they will not be easy days.