Is it wrong for the Vatican to be so rich and pompous?

Answer 1

people faith turns into gold, right down to the pope pocket

Answer 2

I think it is. Read the book, Shoes of the Fisherman where the Pope wants to give away the Vatican's money to feed and clothe the poor and what their reaction is!!

Answer 3

It's not like the pope is going out and buying a new car everday unlike some certain pastors I know. The church gives back that money in circulation they help the poor it's a chain, and yes they do help the poor been there.

Answer 4

The "wealth" of the Catholic Church, including its investments, is put to good use. The Catholic Church operates more schools, hospitals, hospices, counseling centers, educational programs, and other direct human services than all other churches combined. In addition it sends more missionaries to serve more of the world's poor (currently in every nation on earth) than all other churches combined. Do I detect a small but bitter note of envy in this question??

Answer 5

Pompous? Rich?

The vast majority of the Church’s property (e.g., churches, schools and hospitals) is specifically dedicated to the service of people, especially the poor.

When U.S. urban centers declined in the 1970s and 1980s, the Church didn’t try to sell off her properties before they became devalued. Rather, parishes in Detroit, Chicago, and elsewhere were kept open as long as possible. By the time the Church decided to close and sell them, the property value of the churches had significantly decreased.

The Vatican does own property of substantial financial value. The Church could sell these items, but she considers herself the guardian of these treasures for the whole world. She makes them available for pilgrims and tourists to enjoy when visiting such places as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the various Vatican museums. The Church has also allowed her art holdings to be used in tours to countries including the United States, for those who cannot visit Italy and elsewhere. Revenue obtained by displaying these items is then used to assist the needs of people everywhere.

Critics have also objected to the use of costly vessels, including, in the past, even diamond-encrusted chalices. The Church has always used precious metals and other valuable materials in the construction of sacred vessels because they hold the Body and Blood of Christ. This tradition dates back to Old Testament times, when God ordered the use of precious metals and other costly materials in the construction of the ark of the covenant, the temple, and the furniture in the temple. These materials included gold, silver, bronze, fine linens, acacia wood, spices for oils and incense, and onyx stones (see e.g., Ex. 25-31). By giving our best to God, we are reminded that everything we have is a blessing from Him and that we need to seek Him first and trust in Him (cf. Mt. 6:33), instead of relying on ourselves and our own plans.

The Church’s preferential option for the poor is also expressed through her many charitable works at the parochial, diocesan, national and international levels. In times of moral crisis, the Vatican has used her wealth to aid people, such as selling gold to stave off the extermination of many Jews during World War II.

If the Church sold all of her various holdings, poverty would continue to be a lasting concern (cf. Mk. 14:7) and the Church, the greatest champion of poor and oppressed people throughout the world, would not have the resources to provide assistance. The Church will always be a world leader in addressing poverty, but just as she is called to be the good steward of the spiritual riches of Christ’s Mystical Body, she also exercises a certain stewardship of her material resources for the temporal and eternal well being of all humanity.

Several years ago, author Karl Keating was asked questions similar to yours:
He replied: "The Vatican's yearly budget is about the size of that of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The funds go partly for the upkeep of the Vatican itself, partly for missionary and other work around the world. Not bad for an organization with a billion members. If someone thinks the Vatican is fabulously wealthy, perhaps asking for a little proof isn't out of line. If someone is a conspiracy theorist, no amount of argumentation will work. You could give the person a certified copy of all the secret Vatican financial records, and he'd just say that they're fakes ...
"I suppose we could ask why the Vatican has trouble balancing its rather small annual budget. The wealth of the Church is almost entirely in church buildings, hospitals, schools, and missions, plus artworks. You could sell off the artworks, but the proceeds wouldn't feed the poor of the world for even a day.
"... If the Vatican sold all its artworks, they would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars -- but only once. Then they would be gone, and that money wouldn't go very far. (In the U.S. alone we spend hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars each year on welfare-related programs.) Second, the popes are custodians, not owners. They have a responsibility to preserve these [bequeathed/donated] artistic treasures for posterity, not to sell them off to private collections. Third, these artworks are things of beauty, and all beauty relates back to the one Beauty, which is God. The Church knows that we can approach God in many ways, and one of them is through beautiful art.

Perhaps you are not aware that there are hundreds of thousands of Catholic monks and nuns around the world who take a vow of poverty? They own nothing personally, and their shared homes, clothing, and food are not extravagant (sometimes even meager). Surely you know that the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a Catholic and that she has thousand of other Sisters of Charity imitating her around the world today. Perhaps you are not aware that the single largest private provider of money and goods to people in areas of drought, disaster, etc., is the U.S.-based "Catholic Relief Services?" -- and that there are other, similar Catholic organizations around the world. There is no entity, public or private, in the history of mankind, that has done as much for the needy (without regard to their race or religion) as the Catholic Church has done and continues to do. Much of the sacrificial giving is encouraged and even mandated by the very Vatican that you have heard falsely accused of accumulating riches.

Answer 6

According to their religion...yes.

Answer 7

YES I am Catholic

Answer 8

yea if its for selfish gain