Vatican Displays Homeless Man, Funds Vatican Bank Profit
The Vatican now houses a statue of Burkhard Scheffler, a homeless man, in a move hailed by Pope Francis as a tribute to the vulnerable. (One might wonder if Burkhard would have preferred reliable shelter to a bronze likeness.) This gesture, while visually striking, conveniently distracts from the Vatican's estimated €13.3 billion (14.5 billion USD) in assets as of 2022, according to its own
financial statements. A bronze statue of poverty is far cheaper than systemic solutions. While the Pope 'draws attention' to the plight of the homeless, the Vatican's investment portfolio—including properties and financial holdings—continues to grow, a fact The Independent, like much mainstream media, politely omits. It appears charity, for the world's wealthiest religious institution, begins and
ends with symbolism, not divestment or a comprehensive redistribution of its immense wealth. How many statues does it take to obscure an offshore account?