Posted on 08/13/2007 1:24:12 PM PDT by SirLinksalot
Pope Benedict XVI is working on a doctrinal pronouncement that will condemn tax evasion as “socially unjust”, according to Vatican sources.
In his second encyclical – the most authoritative statement a pope can issue – the pontiff will denounce the use of “tax havens” and offshore bank accounts by wealthy individuals, since this reduces tax revenues for the benefit of society as a whole.
It will focus on humanity’s social and economic problems in an era of globalisation. Pope Benedict intends to argue for a world trade and economic system “regulated in such a way as to avoid further injustice and discrimination”, Ignazio Ingrao, a Vatican watcher, said yesterday.
The encyclical, drafted during his recent holiday in the mountains of northern Italy, takes its cue from Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples), issued 40 years ago. In it the pontiff focused on “those peoples who are striving to escape from hunger, misery, endemic diseases and ignorance and are looking for a wider share in the benefits of civilisation”. He called on the West to promote an equitable world economic system based on social justice rather than profit.
This week the Italian centre-left Government of Romano Prodi began a concerted crackdown on tax evaders, saying that it would target individuals with second homes and other signs of “conspicuous wealth”. If the black economy is included, unpaid taxes amount to 27 per cent of Italy’s gross domestic product.
Mr Prodi, a devout Catholic, urged church leaders to speak out on tax evasion, telling the Catholic magazine Famiglia Cristiana that a third of Italians heavily evaded taxes, which were needed to plug Italy’s huge budget deficit. “Why, when I go to Mass, is this issue almost never touched upon in homilies?” Mr Prodi asked, adding: “If memory serves, St Paul exhorted the faithful to obey authority.”
As part of its crackdown the Government said that it was seeking taxes on undeclared earnings of €60 million (£40 million) by Valentino Rossi, the world motorcycling champion.
And just how much in taxes did the Roman Catholic Church pay last year?
Not a new position.
“Render unto Caeser that which is Caeser’s, and unto God that which is God’s.”
Wow, the Church colluding with government to fleece and enslave the people. How novel.
Before you get too snarky..snorky remember how many Catholics there are and think what a good thing it is that the local joe in the pew paid his taxes. So didn’t the your people in your church pay their taxes? Did your church pay any taxes?
That won't deter the anti-Catholics here. This is chum for them.
T'only problem is that every time it has been tried under government control, the cure has been worse than the disease.
The only system that seems to work in THIS world is the one that maximizes individual freedom, and lets individuals CHOOSE to be good. Enforced "virtue" ALWAYS turns into tyranny.
I noticed you didn’t answer my question. :-)
Social Encyclical Coming Next?
Rome, Aug. 13, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The second encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI will focus on economic issues, Vatican officials say.
The forthcoming encyclical would continue the series of papal statements on Catholic social teaching. The Holy Father is preparing the document for the 40th anniversary of Populorum Progressio, the social encyclical released in 1967 by Pope Paul VI.
The Vatican has not formally confirmed that the Pope is writing an encyclical, nor have officials given any indication of when the document could be released. However in July, as the Pontiff began his vacation in the Alps, Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, told reporters that the Pope would spend part of his time working on a new encyclical. Ignazio Ingrao, who covers the Vatican the Italian magazine Panorama, reports that the focus of the new papal statement will be the process of globalization. Pope Benedict will emphasize the need for economic structures and regulations that promote solidarity and favor the equitable distribution of resources, he said.
In Italy, the Panorama report drew widespread attention because Ingrao predicted that the Pope would explicitly condemn tax evasion. The use of tax havens by wealthy individuals has become a hot topic in that country.
Deus Caritas Est, the long-awaited first encyclical by Benedict XVI, was released in January 2006. Shortly after his election, the Pope disclosed that he did not expect to issue many papal documents— a statement that surprised the many readers familiar with the prolific work of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger prior to his election as Roman Pontiff.
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=81380
Pay your taxes. I think the IRS wanted to kill me for $3200 in 1980............
There's chum alright. There are 2 points that I have a problem with. 1) Government anal exam of the world trade and economic system. Didn't anyone learn the lesson of Hong Kong? 2) Trying to avoid injustice and discrimination. This one is a two parter. First, the government is involved in way to much crap. Second, the words injustice and discrimination are sending out mad, crazy alarms. Sounds like Robin Hood to me.
No clue why the Pope is involved in this type of debate, but I hope his actual declaration is better than the MSM's blurb.
How about responsible spending, reasonable tax law, and charity?
You didn’t answer mine either...........so does your church pay taxes?
Oh, and I bet you complain about the mainstream media’s coverage of other people/topics. Yet you believe this?
And just how much in taxes did the Roman Catholic Church pay last year?
:::::
Good point. And when will they keep out of matters of law and politics?
Can I hear an Amen!
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