Pope Leo and MAGA

[Matthias]

“The new American pope is looking to his MAGA compatriots to shore up the Vatican’s finances after decades of scandal and mismanagement. …”

Pope Leo looks to MAGA megadonors to shore up Church finances

Wealthy American conservatives hint they’re ready to cough up again to rescue the scandal-ridden Church from going broke.

www.politico.eu

 

[Truly]

Weren't they getting USAID?

And now they just need the U.S to give them aid?

 

[Rockerduck]

Let them auction off things out of the Vatican treasury. They have basements full of antiquities and artifacts. I'm sure the Bible Museum would buy a lot.

 

[Matthias]

Weren't they getting USAID?

And now they just need the U.S to give them aid?

Private funding is one thing, government funding is another.

I don’t have an issue with anyone who wants to privately donate money to a religious organization.

 

[Matthias]

Let them auction off things out of the Vatican treasury. They have basements full of antiquities and artifacts. I'm sure the Bible Museum would buy a lot.

That’s a way. If I was in his position, I would seek other ways first.

 

[Truly]

Private funding is one thing, government funding is another.

I don’t have an issue with anyone who wants to privately donate money to a religious organization.

I dont either, but as one dries up (the USAID?) to flood this nation with illegal immigrants, now they want to take private money to bail them out of the mismanagement of it?

They helped to make this nation worse

 

[Rockerduck]

That’s a way. If I was in his position, I would seek other ways first.

I say stop the hoarding and share it with public. Auction first, then fund raise. Its hypocrisy to own 20 Mecedes Benz cars, then cry broke

 

[Matthias]

I don’t know what all was involved in selecting / electing an American to become pope but it would be crass IF it was connected with getting into the pockets of wealthy Americans.

 

[Matthias]

I say stop the hoarding and share it with public. Auction first, then fund raise. Its hypocrisy to own 20 Mecedes Benz cars, then cry broke

Making other cuts first makes good management sense to me.

 

[Truly]

This here

The annual shortfall adds to liabilities including half-a-billion in pension obligations

So they would be asking a people who do not receive pensions, and who social security has been robbed to step in the gap for a half a billion in pension obligations for their staff?

 

[Matthias]

“According to the World Christian Database, there are 1.272 billion Catholics worldwide as of 2025 …”

Catholic Church by country - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I don’t know how much the Vatican needs but if every Catholic sent the pope a dollar …

 

[Matthias]

“A new Pew Research Center report reveals that about 22% of those who voted in the 2024 election and cast their ballot for President Donald Trump were Catholic.”

New Pew study reveals percentage of Catholics who voted for Trump in 2024

A new Pew Research Center report reveals that about 22% of those who voted in the 2024 election and cast their ballot for President Donald Trump were Catholic.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Catholic MAGA is significant. How inclined would non-Catholic MAGA (about 78% of the total) be to send money to the Vatican?

 

[Truly]

“According to the World Christian Database, there are 1.272 billion Catholics worldwide as of 2025 …”

Catholic Church by country - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I don’t know how much the Vatican needs but if every Catholic sent the pope a dollar …

Exactly Matthias! And you know, I had pointed out something very similar to this before on a thread on another forum some ten years or so agai, where they boasted of numbers of members and being rich and when we got into how little it would take to make them so by using only half of their own figures, it was something so ridiculously low it was laughable, but somehow the money is gone, and greatly mismanaged. So maybe its best if they go broke and have their stewardship of people charity redirected elsewhere while they cash out, or melt down all their golden idols and the rest of it. They throw out big numbers as far as members, and big figures (monies needed) but it isnt the emergency they pretend it to be, someone is emptying the coffers hand over fist.

 

[Riven]

Trump should tell the pope to sell some of his riches that he's hoarding in the Vatican.

They wouldn't be having all these scandals if they could keep their hands off of children. If it were up to me, I'd bulldoze the Vatican to the ground with them all in it!

At this point in time, how can you even support Catholicism? And these are usually the same people that complain about the debauchery during Pride month, but won't dare say anything negative about a religious organization that openly sweeps pedophilia under the rug under the guise of forgiveness.

 

[Matthias]

Trump should tell the pope to sell some of his riches that he's hoarding in the Vatican.

They don’t personally belong to the pope.

They wouldn't be having all these scandals if they could keep their hands off of children.

The vast majority of Catholics don’t put their hands on children.

If it were up to me, I'd bulldoze the Vatican to the ground with them all in it!

Murder, He Wrote.

In centuries past they would have persecuted, tortured, and burned me at the stake. I wouldn’t have harmed them in the least.

At this point in time, how can you even support Catholicism?

Some of the finest people I’ve ever met in my life were / are Catholic.

And these are usually the same people that complain about the debauchery during Pride month …

Good on all who speak up, speak out, and speak against debauchery.

... but won't dare say anything negative about a religious organization that openly sweeps pedophilia under the rug under the guise of forgiveness.

That’s been a problem for Catholicism and Protestantism.

If it were up to you, would you also bulldoze the cathedrals, chapels and churches of the Protestants with them inside?

 

[Riven]

They don’t personally belong to the pope.

So? They need money. Tell 'em to sell some of that junk.

The vast majority of Catholics don’t put their hands on children.

I didn't say otherwise. But enough of them do, such that they now have a rather bad reputation. It doesn't help that they always seem to find themselves innocent after an "internal investigation".

Some of the finest people I’ve ever met in my life were / are Catholic.

It isnt the people that are the problem. It's the leadership. The bishops, priests, the pope, etc.

Good on all who speak up, speak out, and speak against debauchery.

I agree. But they're also hypocrites.

That’s been a problem for Catholicism and Protestantism.

If it were up to you, would you also bulldoze the cathedrals, chapels and churches of the Protestants with them inside?

If they worked to cover it up the same way the Catholic church does? Absolutely. And you know what? We'll build a Wal-Mart where the church used to be.

Everyday low prices.

 

[Matthias]

So? They need money. Tell 'em to sell some of that junk.

Junk - useless items or items of little value. That’s not an apt description of the Vatican treasure.

That issue aside, internal church politics would almost certainly keep the pope from taking that measure, even if he were inclined to do so.

Trump could advise the pope to auction the enormously valuable items but that seems unlikely to me. I think he would rather have the favor than the enmity of the Vatican. Politics and the art of the (art) deal, don’t you know.

I didn't say otherwise. But enough of them do, such that they now have a rather bad reputation. It doesn't help that they always seem to find themselves innocent after an "internal investigation".

How many is enough? And they don’t always find themselves innocent.

It isnt the people that are the problem.

The people are part of the problem. (They finance the enterprise. They support with their attendance. They support with their work. They support with their prayer.)

It's the leadership. The bishops, priests, the pope, etc.

There is good leadership and bad leadership.

I agree. But they're also hypocrites.

Some are.

If they worked to cover it up the same way the Catholic church does? Absolutely. And you know what? We'll build a Wal-Mart where the church used to be.

Everyday low prices.

At least you aren’t hypocritical about it.

 

[Matthias]

If it were up to me, I'd bulldoze the Vatican to the ground with them all in it!

Who is it up to?

 

[Riven]

Who is it up to?

The Catholics themselves.

 

[Matthias]

The Catholics themselves.

Thanks. That hasn’t happened and I don’t think it ever will happen. If it truly is up to the Catholics themselves then it underscores the culpability of the Catholics themselves in the matter.

I think we have to look elsewhere for the answer to the question. As an agnostic, I‘m not sure that you can. If you were an atheist, I’d almost be willing to bet the farm that you would.

God is in the docket.