Vatican bank tells where it stores its gold, and other nuggets
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- One week after publishing highlights of its 2013 financial statement, the Institute for the Works of Religion -- commonly called the Vatican bank -- released a 107-page, detailed financial report for the year.
Important dates in the life of Blessed John Paul II
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Here are some important dates in the life of Blessed John Paul II
Archdiocese reports new data that show stronger finances
Audited financial statements for more than a dozen entities of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia show that donations from the Catholic community plus gains from investments have resulted in modest surpluses, in several cases, from the previous year's losses.
Looking back at the year: Catholic news bombshells dropped in 2013
Waves of parish restructuring, financial disclosures, clergy decisions, new evangelization and poignant scenes from Catholic life were just some news items of the memorable year that passed in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. We take a last long back while heading into 2014.
Philadelphia Archdiocese seeing start of financial rebound
The latest audited financial statements for Archdiocese of Philadelphia show a dramatic turnaround in church finances with a reported $3.9 million surplus for the 2013 fiscal year, up from the $39.2 million deficit reported for fiscal year 2012.
Prospective high school site in Hilltown sold for $2.6 million
As part of a continuing strategy to plug its financial holes, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has sold a large property previously set aside for construction of a new Catholic high school. A 68-acre tract in Hilltown, Bucks County, is under agreement of sale for $2.6 million, archdiocesan spokesman Ken Gavin confirmed Oct. 24. Proceeds of the sale will go toward easing an $82 million shortfall in the archdiocesan Trust and Loan Fund.
The road traveled, and the road that lies ahead
Two years ago this week (September 8), I began my service here in Philadelphia as archbishop. Two years from now, this same week, we’ll be in the final stages of preparing for the eighth World Meeting of Families (September 22-27). It’s a good moment to pause and reflect.
New financial data show details of Church’s work in health care, social services, education
Following an unprecedented financial report from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Office for Financial Services in early July, 15 archdiocesan entities for the first time made their financial statements public Friday, Aug. 2. The statements, audited by the accounting firm Grant Thornton for archdiocesan corporations operating in health care, social services and education, present a picture of their finances as of June 30, 2012, the end of that fiscal year. (See all the financial statements here.)
New ideas, personal touch lead to whopping rise in Seminary Appeal
Generally speaking, if you run an annual fundraising campaign and the end result is 10 percent over the previous year, you can consider it a great success. If that’s true what would you call a 74 percent increase? That’s the case with the annual St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Appeal. Last year's appeal raised $1,595,705. This year's raised $3,051,668, up $1,455,963. It's an all-time high, and counting.
Looking back and looking ahead
On the Catholic calendar, Christmas continues through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, observed this year on Sunday, January 13. In effect, we’re only halfway through the real Christmas season, and if we take the time to pray over the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we’ll find plenty of reasons to keep the joy of Christmas alive in our hearts.