Jessica Mendoza
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
By the early 2000s, the Vatican's money problems had become pretty dire. Benedict XVI, who became pope in 2005, set up a unit to combat money laundering, and the Vatican Bank started releasing annual reports for the first time. But the financial knots proved to be too much.
That's, you know, I remember when Benedict stepped down, and I remember what a huge deal it was. I had no idea it had to do with money problems.
That's, you know, I remember when Benedict stepped down, and I remember what a huge deal it was. I had no idea it had to do with money problems.
That's, you know, I remember when Benedict stepped down, and I remember what a huge deal it was. I had no idea it had to do with money problems.
Into this mess stepped Pope Francis.
Into this mess stepped Pope Francis.
Into this mess stepped Pope Francis.
Francis's election in 2013 seemed to represent a new era of reform. He was known for his frugality, having lived through many financial crises in his home country of Argentina. As pope, Francis attempted to modernize the Vatican's bookkeeping. Nuns were still keeping ledgers with pencil and paper. Under his stewardship, the Vatican bank closed thousands of suspect accounts.
Francis's election in 2013 seemed to represent a new era of reform. He was known for his frugality, having lived through many financial crises in his home country of Argentina. As pope, Francis attempted to modernize the Vatican's bookkeeping. Nuns were still keeping ledgers with pencil and paper. Under his stewardship, the Vatican bank closed thousands of suspect accounts.
Francis's election in 2013 seemed to represent a new era of reform. He was known for his frugality, having lived through many financial crises in his home country of Argentina. As pope, Francis attempted to modernize the Vatican's bookkeeping. Nuns were still keeping ledgers with pencil and paper. Under his stewardship, the Vatican bank closed thousands of suspect accounts.
He slashed cardinal salaries. And perhaps the biggest move of all?
He slashed cardinal salaries. And perhaps the biggest move of all?
He slashed cardinal salaries. And perhaps the biggest move of all?
How did members of the clergy in the Vatican respond to these efforts?
How did members of the clergy in the Vatican respond to these efforts?
How did members of the clergy in the Vatican respond to these efforts?
According to the journal's reporting, one cardinal took cash out of a Vatican bank account with plans to hide the money from a team set up to track budgets.