The Vatican’s income is mainly derived from property assets and donations including from bishops and Peter’s Pence, the annual June collection by churches for the pope’s “mission” and charitable works. But donation revenue has fallen with increasing secularism and financial scandals.
Donors from the U.S., the number one contributing country, were put off by Francis’ more liberal teachings on LGBTQ+ and marriage as well as corruption scandals including a botched investment by the Vatican’s top financial institution in London real estate, said John Yep, president of Catholics for Catholics, a conservative NGO.
‘Very equilibrated’
The momentum behind Leo as a bridge-builder emerged in pre-conclave lobbying sessions, when cardinals began to envisage that Leo’s alignment on hot-button conservative issues would help appease U.S. Catholics. Leo went on to secure more than 100 votes in the conclave, two well-placed insiders say, indicating that his support was broad and included right-leaning clerics.
Pope Leo “is a very equilibrated person, and he can give something to the right, without shifting the pontificate to the right,” one cardinal told POLITICO.
According to the cardinal quoted above, his constituency even included several of the die-hard Francis critics led by the arch-traditionalist American cardinal Raymond Burke. Burke himself reportedly received Leo — then Cardinal Robert Prevost — in his Vatican-owned apartment before the conclave, and spoke with him again after, according to one person familiar with the matter. Burke’s office could not reached for comment.
In turn, Leo has signaled a willingness to address traditionalist priorities, drawing particular praise for his decision to move back to the original papal residence from his predecessor’s basic lodgings, as well as for his penchant for singing in Latin.
