The Financial Mess Facing the Vatican
May 07, 2025•20 min
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Episode description
Just days before his death, Pope Francis wrestled with an enormous problem: the Vatican’s dire finances. The world’s smallest country is now facing a budget deficit of millions, and a looming crisis in its pension fund. As the Papal conclave meets this week to vote for a new leader, WSJ’s Drew Hinshaw pieces through how centuries of financial mismanagement have culminated into a mess that the next pope will inherit. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- Pope Francis Has Died. What’s Next for the Catholic Church?
- The Mormon Church’s $100 Billion Secret Fund
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