Pope Francis to cardinals: Practice zero deficit, reduce costs in Church resources

Pope Francis called for “extra effort” from the College of Cardinals in implementing the economic reforms in the Vatican, which was first discussed during the general Congregations ahead of the 2013
Conclave.

In a letter addressed to the cardinals dated September 16, the Holy Father emphasized that the requests for reform from many members of the College of Cardinals in the past were “farsighted.”

“[These requests] have led to a greater awareness of the fact that the economic resources at the service of the mission are limited and must be managed with rigor and seriousness so that the efforts of those who have contributed to the patrimony of the Holy See are not wasted,” wrote Pope Francis.

Therefore, he urged them to make zero deficit in the Holy See “not just a theoretical goal, but an actually achievable objective.”

Pope Francis explained that the reforms made in 2022 through the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, which vastly reorganized the Roman Curia, laid the foundations for the “implementation of
ethical policies to improve the economic performance of existing assets.”

The seventh chapter of the apostolic constitution details reforms on the Holy See’s Institutions of Finance, including the Council and Secretariat for the Economy, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, and the Office of the Auditor General.

“Accompanying this is the need for each institution to strive to find external resources for its mission, setting an example of transparent and responsible management in the service of the Church,” he said.

In addition, the Holy Father encouraged the cardinals to lead the movement towards significant cost reduction within the Church.

“We need to set a concrete example so that our service is carried out in a spirit of essentiality, avoiding the superfluous and selecting our priorities well, favoring mutual collaboration and synergies,” he explained.

Furthermore, Pope Francis invited them to learn from the solidarity of good families, especially those who enjoy “a good economic situation” and possess the resources to help those who are in most need.

“I ask you [the cardinals] to welcome this message with courage, a spirit of service, and to support the ongoing reforms with conviction, loyalty, and generosity, contributing actively with your knowledge and experience of the reform process,” the pope said.