Vatican City, Jul 9, 2008 / 12:11 pm
The Council of Cardinals that studies the Vatican's organizational and economic problems announced that the Holy See has reported a deficit of 9 million euros –more than 14 million U.S. dollars- for 2007.
The committee of Cardinals, who recently gathered with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, includes cardinal Roger Mahony from Los Angeles, Camillo Ruini, Vicar emeritus of Rome (Italy), Antonio Maria Rouco Varela of Madrid (Spain), Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, of Lagos (Nigeria), Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, of Lima (Peru), Edward Michael Egan, of New York, Eusébio Oscar Scheid, of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Gaudencio B. Rosales, of Manila (The Philippines) and Nicholas Cheong of Seoul (Korea).
The Committee evaluated the balance sheets of the Holy See, the Government of the Vatican City State and the contributions to the Peter's Pence all separately.
The Holy See's balance –which includes the expenses of the different dicasteries and offices of the Roman Curia- reported incomes for 236,737,207 euros and expenses of 245,805,167 leaving a deficit of 9,067,960 euros. The posting of a deficit is a dramatic down turn from the surpluses reported 2004, 2005 and 2006, which netted a combined income of 15,206,587.