{"id":61901,"date":"2023-11-28T14:57:39","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T19:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insidethevatican.com\/?p=61901"},"modified":"2023-11-28T14:57:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T19:57:39","slug":"letter-163-2023-tue-nov-28-confirmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insidethevatican.com\/news\/newsflash\/letter-163-2023-tue-nov-28-confirmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter #163, 2023, Tue, Nov 28: Confirmed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>In better times \u2014<\/em><\/strong> Pope Francis<\/em><\/strong>, 86 (left) with Cardinal <\/em>Raymond Burke<\/em><\/strong>, 75 (right, <\/em>link<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, <\/em>link<\/em><\/strong><\/a>), some years ago. Burke has been critical of some of Francis’ decisions and actions, and now <\/em>Pope Francis<\/em><\/strong> is contemplating actions against Burke, including taking away his Vatican apartment and his cardinal’s salary. Burke does not presently have any official job in the Roman curia (<\/em>link<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and<\/em> link<\/em><\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>A highly-placed Vatican source has confirmed to Inside the Vatican<\/em> that Pope Francis<\/strong> on November 20 did<\/em> tell a gathering of leading cardinals in the Roman Curia that he is planning to take away Cardinal Raymond Burke<\/strong>‘s Vatican apartment and his monthly cardinal’s stipend.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>“It is true,” the Vatican source confirmed to me earlier today. “The Pope did say he would do that.”<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The Pope was chairing a meeting of all the heads of the various Vatican offices, called an “interdicasterial” meeting \u2014 a regular meeting held so everyone in the Vatican receives some general idea of what everyone else is doing.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The Pope’s words were reported yesterday in La Nuova Bussola<\/em> (link<\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>But there remained some doubt about the report, because no source was named.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Now a trusted source has confirmed the report.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>This does not mean the this will actually happen, but it does mean that the words were spoken, and we will now have to wait and see what does happen…<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>***<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>A cardinal’s salary<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>A cardinal’s salary in Rome in past years was set at 5,000 euros per month, 60,000 euros per year (more than $65,800<\/strong> per year at current exchange rates).<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>However, during the past year, due to cost-cutting measures at the Vatican, many Vatican salaries (for some 2,000 workers, ranging from curial officials to repairmen and gardeners) have been capped (no raises whatsoever), and some have been cut. This includes cardinals’ salaries, which have been reduced from 5,000 euros to about 4,000 euros per month, equivalent to about $52,600<\/strong> per year), one cardinal has advised.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>So the amount of salary Burke may lose may be calculated at about $52,600<\/strong> annually.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>A cardinal’s apartment<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Regarding apartments, it is ordinary practice that all cardinals living in Rome are entitled to live in a Vatican-owned apartment without charge.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Since these “cardinalatial” apartments in old Roman palaces are large and close to the Vatican (several are some distance away, in the Palazzo San Callisto in Trastevere), they have a high “prestige” value.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>They would be extremely expensive if placed on the open market in Rome — many thousands per month.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>So to lose such an apartment (which is also a place to meet with other in the shadow of St. Peter’s dome) means the loss of a prestigious place to live in Rome worth, arguably, as much as $100,000 per year (but such a figure is, of course, just an estimate, and, in fact, not too helpful, as many of the apartments could never be put on the “open market” because they are inside the Vatican itself).<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Still, the two measures that Pope Francis<\/strong> is evidently thinking of taking against Cardinal Burke<\/strong> might be characterized, in a rough estimate, as costing Cardinal Burke $52,600<\/strong> in salary, and between $60,000 <\/strong>and$100,000+<\/strong> per year in the value of a free apartment, so, a total loss to Burke of… between $112,000<\/strong> and $152,000<\/strong> per year.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Cardinal Burke currently has no official job in the Roman Curia.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Here below, an article today on this matter in Italy’s Corriere della Sera<\/em>, one of the country’s most important papers. Many in Italy are discussing this case now, and see it as part of a larger struggle… \u2014RM<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>P.S. Since things in Rome seem to be heating up, it would be helpful to have support for this letter to prepare for the coming winter. A donation would be appreciated; click <\/em>here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. <\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/em>Letter #163, 2023, Tuesday, November 28: Confirmed<\/strong><\/h3>\n