HOLY SEE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR 2004

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 2005 (VIS) - In the Vatican on Friday, July 8, Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano presided at the 39th meeting of the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See.

  The meeting was attended by Cardinals Thomas Stafford Williams, Roger Michael Mahony, Camillo Ruini, Jean-Claude Turcotte, Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, Ivan Dias, Claudio Hummes O.F.M., and Edward Michael Egan as well as by His Beatitude Michel Sabbah. Representatives from offices of the Holy See also participated: Cardinals Sergio Sebastiani, Attilio Nicora and Edmund Casimir Szoka, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli and Bishop Franco Croci.

  Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See presented the consolidated financial statements of the Holy See for 2004. The year closed with a surplus of 3,081,820.00 euro, an improvement over 2003 which had ended with a deficit of 9.56 million euro. Total income for 2004 was 205,663,266.00 euro, and total expenditure 202,581,446.00 euro.

  "A large part of the expenditure," said Cardinal Sebastiani, "is made up of the expenses of dicasteries and organizations of the Roman Curia which assist, each in its own way, the Roman Pontiff in his pastoral service to the Universal Church and to the particular Churches. ... A total of 2,663 people work in the Roman Curia, of whom 759 are ecclesiastics, 346 religious and 1,558 lay people. Pensioners number 1,429."

  During the meeting, the consolidated financial statements of Vatican City State for 2004 were also presented. The fiscal year closed with a surplus of 5,371,194.00 euro. "Great economic commitment has been shown," the cardinal explained, "in safeguarding, evaluating, and restoring the Holy See's artistic heritage, ... and in supporting Vatican Radio, by contributing to covering half the station's running costs. Employees of Vatican City State number 1,560, pensioners 878."

  Finally, the meeting turned its attention to Peter's Pence, the fund used to finance the Holy Father's works of evangelical solidarity, which in 2004 amounted to 43,186,899 euro, a drop of 7.4% with respect to 2003. The Pope used this money "to alleviate the suffering of peoples hit by natural catastrophes; to assist initiatives in favor of the orphans of victims of armed conflict and of AIDS; to help bring the assistance of the Church to areas of great tension; to support centers of Christian formation in the world, and other activities."

  Benedict XVI briefly attended the meeting of cardinals to inform himself on the matters being discussed, taking the opportunity to underline the importance of material goods for the announcement of the Gospel and the spiritual mission of the Church.
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