Wall Street could learn from Pope Francis

Wall Street Vista  (Photo by Gryffindor)

Rather than handing out bonuses at a time when the Vatican is in serious debt, Pope Francis is instead setting a frugal example.

Traditionally (for whatever the reason) - when a new pope is elected, every Vatican employee (lay and clergy) has received a bonus.  The Associated Press tells us that in 2005, this monetarily broke down to approximately 1,500 euros (about $2,000) for each of the 4,500 such workers.  Habits like these have contributed to the Vatican's 2011 "15-million euro deficit."  Something to think about next time the collection plate comes around…

The Vatican AP quoted spokesperson Rev. Federico Lombardi as saying:  …it didn't seem possible or appropriate to burden the Vatican's budget with a considerable, unforeseen extra expense."  (Can we have an Amen?)

Pope Francis has set a frugal example in many other ways.  He's not just a "do as I say, not as I do" type of leader.  Soon after his election, he called for "a poor Church for the poor."  According to Nick Squires of The Telegraph, he has followed this up with these personal choices:  He has shunned official Vatican limousines in favor of minibuses, wears plain black shoes instead of the soft red loafers favoured by Benedict, and sits down to meals with priests and other clerics in the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican 'hotel' where he is living.

Resources

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20130418&id=16370345

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10006120/Pope-Franciss-austerity-drive-bans-Vatican-bonuses.html

Copyright April 20, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke    All Rights Reserved