VATICAN (CNS): Donations to the annual Peter’s Pence collection, which supports the work of the Roman Curia and funds the charitable activity of the pope, were down in 2022, but the amount of money the fund distributed increased significantly thanks to the proceeds of property sales, the Vatican said in a report released on June 30.
Overall, “in 2022 Peter’s Pence income amounted to €107 million [$839.91 million],” the Vatican said. And the fund spent €95.5 million [$742.5 million] to support the work of the offices of the Holy See and the apostolic nunciatures around the world and to fund emergency aid to Ukraine and other countries facing devastation as well as to support the mission of local churches in need.
Dioceses, foundations, private donors and religious congregations gave a total of €43.5 million [$338.2 million] to Peter’s Pence in 2022, the report said. In comparison, the amount of direct donations in 2021 was €44.4 million [$345.2 million].
In 2022 Peter’s Pence also benefited from €63.5 million [$493.7 million] from “financial and other” income, the report said, explaining that “during 2022 a significant capital gain was achieved, thanks to the sale of real estate assets assigned to Peter’s Pence Fund.”
As in 2021, the report said, dioceses and individuals in the United States led the giving, although the €11 million [$85.5 million] from the country was two million euros less than the previous year. Catholics in South Korea, who donated 3.5 million, were second, while Italy was third with 2.9 million.
Using the 2022 donations as well as 50.3 million euros “funded through the proceeds from real estate management,” the report said, Peter’s Pence spent 93.8 million euros [15.5 million] during the year: €77.6 million [$603.3 million] “to support the activities promoted by the Holy See in carrying out the Holy Father’s apostolic mission,” which includes funding the Roman Curia; and €16.2 million [$125.95 million] for “projects of direct assistance to those most in need.”
More than €1.5 million [$11.6 million] went to support Ukrainians impacted by Russia’s war on their country. Among the other 191 projects in 71 other nations were assistance to those impacted by flooding in Chad, help for the construction of maternity and pediatric wards at a hospital in Haiti, building a hostel for girls at a parish in Tanzania and building chapels for Indigenous communities in the Diocese of Alto Solimões, Brazil.
