Search This Blog

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Is Pope Francis Really a Pope of the Poor?


The old Biblical adage, "Love of money is the root of all evils." appears to be operating at the Vatican. Why on earth would the pope want to give $25 million to a dermatology hospital, of all places, especially one riddled with corruption? There's something going on here; wouldn't it be interesting to know exactly what? Here's a bit from the article:
A charity is deeply divided over a request from Pope Francis to give a large donation to a scandal-hit hospital.

LifeSiteNews claims to have obtained internal documents from the US-based Papal Foundation showing that last year Pope Francis personally requested, and obtained in part, a $25 million grant for a Church-owned dermatological hospital in Rome.
The Istituto Dermopatico dell’Immacolata (IDI) is accused of money laundering, and has liabilities of more than $1 billion.
The request has provoked controversy because of the unusually large sum – the foundation normally awards grants of no more than $200,000 – and the hospital receiving the money has been plagued by allegations of corruption. The Papal Foundation’s board is composed mainly of US bishops, including every American cardinal resident in the country. Internal documents indicate that the Pope made the request through Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington and the board’s chairman. [Bishop Michael Bransfield is president of the charity.]
To become a “steward” of the charity, lay members must promise “to give $1 million over the course of no more than 10 years with a minimum donation of $100,000 per year”, according to the Papal Foundation’s website. 
Despite opposition from some lay members, the board voted to send $8 million to the IDI in December 2017. Another $5 million was sent in January. (Read the rest by clicking on the hotlink above.]
A few days ago I wrote this comment on a post about Bransfield:
A little additional information. Bransfield and Wuerl are buddies and Wuerl was invited to Wheeling as homilist for the first red Mass in the diocese in 2009 and for a repeat run in 2016. http://weelunk.com/cardinal-wuerl-to-celebrate-red-mass-in-wheeling/
They were also up to their necks in the papal financial scandal where a dermatology hospital in Italy known for corruption was given millions from The Papal Foundation Charity at the request of Pope Francis and approved by the clergy in charge. The laymen were so angry once resigned. 
Bransfield is the Foundation President and Wuerl is Chairman of the Board. Before this scandal the Foundation had a stellar 30 year record of charitable giving. No more!
Is it any surprise that two clerics who spent millions on their own personal residences would have no problem diverting money for the poor to a corrupt, debt laden institution.
http://brownpelicanla.com/lifesitenews-leaked-docs-raise-question-of-popes-personal-role-in-new-vatican-financial-scandal/
But this isn't the first or only Vatican money scandal. Remember the Vatican bank?

A priest friend on the West Coast predicted a few years ago that the next big scandal was going to be about money. He said a high level financial guy who worked with the Church saw it coming. If you are still giving to Peter's Pence now would be a good time to stop. You can imitate Legatus if you like and put your donations in an escrow account or choose charities you think are trustworthy. It's hard to know these days who you can trust!

2 comments:

  1. I think you could have truncated the head like to "Is Pope Francis Really a Pope?" -- Not so as to notice!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I find it interesting that these bishops have the same problem as that of the financial wiz Judas Isacariot.

    ReplyDelete