Posted on 01/03/2022 6:31:15 PM PST by marshmallow
When Molly Burhans met with Pope Francis in 2018, she presented him with a map.
The Catholic Church is one of the largest non-governmental owners of land in the entire world— by one estimate, the Church owns some 177 million acres. That land includes parish churches, cathedrals, hospitals, monasteries, convents, farms, schools, forests...even a few dubiously-purchased apartment buildings.
But a lot of that land isn’t serving the Church’s mission. A lot of it is underutilized, being used for some purpose that’s not ideal, or harming the environment; or, it’s simply gathering dust.
Burhans says one of the biggest reasons for this is that many dioceses and parishes don’t have information at their fingertips about what property they own, let alone plans for what to do with it.
This is one of the reasons that for the past several years, Burhans has been developing interactive electronic maps of the global Catholic Church, with the goal of making the Church more sustainable, and more effective at Her mission.
“I see so much potential”
Burhans says she learned about the power of land early in her life, growing up in Buffalo, New York— a city largely in decline with an abundance of unused space, but a lot of potential, she says.
“I saw that property could change people, transform people and transform communities,” Burhans said.
Burhans committed to her Catholic faith when she was a young adult, and at one point, she even considered religious life. It was while staying at a convent during her discernment process that Burhans saw firsthand the problems, and opportunities, that the Church’s vast land ownership could bring. The convent in question owned a lot of land— vast lawns, forests, buildings— too much really to care for it all in the best way possible.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
Watch for the fire sale to begin immediately and friends of the Vatican to become very, very wealthy men.
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19
I don’t think it’s meant to enrich the folks at the Vatican necessarily, it’s more likely it is meant to further the goals of the Church’s radical social organization - Catholic Charites.
No.
Next question.
I have suspected for a long time that the first place they start selling property is in CA.
One of first one targeted will be Carmelite Monastery just south or Carmel
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.