Pope Francis has died, Vatican says, 21 Apr 2025

[sds71]

Good catch !

https://twitter.com/x/status/1927797888299462714

 

[MelmothTheLost]

That is interesting. Clearly, Robert Francis Prevost, will have to file a tax return for 2025 with all his income listed.

He'd better make sure it's accurate or he faces being the first Pope to be charged with tax fraud.

 

[PrairieWind]

He'd better make sure it's accurate or he faces being the first Pope to be charged with tax fraud.

I think he will be ok.

 

[Sundog]

Pope Leo XIV set to obtain new Peruvian identity document

Pope Leo XIV has updated his personal information for a new Peruvian national identity document.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

100 days of Pope Leo XIV: Calm papacy that avoids polemics is coming into focus

As Robert Prevost marks his 100th day as Pope Leo this weekend, the contours of his pontificate have begun to come into relief, primarily where he shows continuity with Francis and where he signals change.

www.nbcnews.com

VATICAN CITY — When Pope Leo XIV surprised tens of thousands of young people at a recent Holy Year celebration with an impromptu popemobile romp around St. Peter’s Square, it almost seemed as if some of the informal spontaneity that characterized Pope Francis’ 12-year papacy had returned to the Vatican.

But the message Leo delivered that night was all his own: In seamless English, Spanish and Italian, Leo told the young people that they were the “salt of the Earth, the light of the world.” He urged them to spread their hope, faith in Christ and their cries of peace wherever they go.

As Robert Prevost marks his 100th day as Pope Leo this weekend, the contours of his pontificate have begun to come into relief, primarily where he shows continuity with Francis and where he signals change. Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that after 12 sometimes turbulent years under Francis, a certain calm and reserve have returned to the papacy...

 

[Cryptic]

According to Nuttmegg's post, above, the Pope is provided with a substantial salary, similar to the salary of a U.S. university president. It is possible, though, that he will turn it down, as did Pope Francis, and just receive a modest stipend, instead. Then his taxes would be much lower.

Pope Francis could have been paid as much as the president, but instead gave his substantial salary away to the poor and needy

The pope also refused to live in the papal apartments or visit the papal summer residence.

fortune.com

Going into minute trivial details.....

Most Catholic priests do not take vows of poverty. Rather, they take vows of a simple lifestyle.
Years ago, a military priest once told me that he was permitted to keep 30k a year and had to donate the rest. San Diego once paid priests 45K (less than a teacher at the time-but the diocese also kicked in a housing allowance). Bishops got more.

But.... Pope Francis and Pope Leo were / are members of Religious communities. These priests do take vows of poverty. If they accepted the papal salary, they would need to turn their papal salaries over to their orders beyond what is needed to live. But... a diocesian priest could keep the salary if he wanted to.

As a side note, the large Baptist church that I am familiar with solved the preacher pay problem permanently by paying them the starting salary of public school teachers in the suburb. Their salary then increases at the same rate as teachers do, and is publically available.

 

[roche.analisa]

Going into minute trivial details.....

Most Catholic priests do not take vows of poverty. Rather, they take vows of a simple lifestyle.
Years ago, a military priest once told me that he was permitted to keep 30k a year and had to donate the rest. San Diego once paid priests 45K (less than a teacher at the time-but the diocese also kicked in a housing allowance). Bishops got more.

But.... Pope Francis and Pope Leo were / are members of Religious communities. These priests do take vows of poverty. If they accepted the papal salary, they would need to turn their papal salaries over to their orders beyond what is needed to live. But... a diocesian priest could keep the salary if he wanted to.

As a side note, the large Baptist church that I am familiar with solved the preacher pay problem permanently by paying them the starting salary of public school teachers in the suburb. Their salary then increases at the same rate as teachers do, and is publically available.

And by "religious", Cryptic means an order, such as Franciscan, Dominican, etc. Priests can be ordained either with an order or with a diocese.

 

[Seattle1]

Going into minute trivial details.....

Most Catholic priests do not take vows of poverty. Rather, they take vows of a simple lifestyle.
Years ago, a military priest once told me that he was permitted to keep 30k a year and had to donate the rest. San Diego once paid priests 45K (less than a teacher at the time-but the diocese also kicked in a housing allowance). Bishops got more.

But.... Pope Francis and Pope Leo were / are members of Religious communities. These priests do take vows of poverty. If they accepted the papal salary, they would need to turn their papal salaries over to their orders beyond what is needed to live. But... a diocesian priest could keep the salary if he wanted to.

As a side note, the large Baptist church that I am familiar with solved the preacher pay problem permanently by paying them the starting salary of public school teachers in the suburb. Their salary then increases at the same rate as teachers do, and is publically available.

Very true @Cryptic.

Diocesan priests do not make a vow of poverty, whereas priests in religious orders do (i.e., Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, etc.). And TBH, I wasn't familiar with the Augustinians until Pope Leo. As for diocesan priests, they are certainly encouraged to live simply and not make it a priority to accumulate wealth.

Speaking of poverty, I'm reminded of a funny story from a couple of months ago when enjoying a celebration dinner in D.C. following Georgetown University's Graduation Ceremony. A popular Jesuit Priest at my table was unusually quiet when focused at unboxing his new Apple iPhone 16Pro gifted to him when another older clergyman at the end of the table let out a heavy sigh and said -- "Yes, the Georgetown Jesuits... they take a vow of poverty, but we keep it for them." To which the entire room broke out in laughter. I only wish I'd recorded this!

 

[Charlot123]

Very true @Cryptic.

Diocesan priests do not make a vow of poverty, whereas priests in religious orders do (i.e., Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, etc.). And TBH, I wasn't familiar with the Augustinians until Pope Leo. As for diocesan priests, they are certainly encouraged to live simply and not make it a priority to accumulate wealth.

Speaking of poverty, I'm reminded of a funny story from a couple of months ago when enjoying a celebration dinner in D.C. following Georgetown University's Graduation Ceremony. A popular Jesuit Priest at my table was unusually quiet when focused at unboxing his new Apple iPhone 16Pro gifted to him when another older clergyman at the end of the table let out a heavy sigh and said -- "Yes, the Georgetown Jesuits... they take a vow of poverty, but we keep it for them." To which the entire room broke out in laughter. I only wish I'd recorded this!

I don’t know what faith you practice, but if it is Evangelical, then you might have been familiar with the Augustinians, only you didn’t know it. Martin Luther, the main figure of the reformation, used to be an Augustinian friar. At that time, the order was leading the life of austerity and poverty. Luther later ascribed his poor health to observing the monastic principles of the order too rigidly. I personally explain the transformation of his ideas specifically to being an Augustinian friar.

 

[Charlot123]

About the taxes.

JMO: one should discriminate between personal wealth and lifestyle and the need for the largest church in the world to survive and maintain independence from any specific state or entity.

Personally - I don’t believe any of the priests nowadays is “rich”; it is not true wealth that we are talking about.

“Independence” of the church, however, can not be achieved without a solid financial foundation. Money is also needed for charities and programs.

The late Pope Francis was the example of humility, but as the Pope, he still ran the Catholic church’s major institutions. Every Pope has to. Looking at personal agenda, everything in Pope Francis’ delivered one message, personal responsibility for being a good Christian. The way I interpret his main message is, I am the Pope, but I am also a small man, always accessible to any human being. Everything, including that last ride in the papal limousine that might have shortened his life, his choice of the burial site, conveys personal accessibility and humility.

But each Pope leaves own legacy, while adjusting his church to the changing times and requirements. These times are not easy to predict. Just wishing Pope Leo XIV strength and health.