[OLD REGGIE]

Once everything else is stripped away, the Church is made up of people just like any other institution. What makes you think that modern popes want to live as popes did eight centuries ago?

When the Pope says "we are a Church, not a nation. When this "Church" disbands it's Diplomatic Corp and it's "observer" seat in the United Nations. Maybe then.

Today the Holy See has formal diplomatic relations with 176 nations as well as the United Nations (where it enjoys Permanent Observer status) and other international agencies and secretariats. Its ambassadors are also automatically recognised as deans of the diplomatic corps wherever they are accredited, as affirmed in 1961 by the Vienna Diplomatic Convention.

The Vatican Nation

[Pyro7480]

Oh, good grief. It’s both/and, not either/or.

[caww]

Thank you for the link of which I will study later Old Reggie.....but I am interested in the degree of international influence the Roman Catholic Church does have...we know it has tentacles... but to where and what end they have determined I am interested in...though much has been behind the scenes, with computers etc. it has become far more difficult for these things to remain in seclusion.

[Natural Law]

"When this "Church" disbands it's Diplomatic Corp and it's "observer" seat in the United Nations."

You apparently missed WWII. It was in all of the papers.