Pope cancels fundraising commission for Holy See amid controversy

ROME Pope Leo XIV has taken decisive action to address a contentious financial initiative from Pope Francis tenure by dissolving a special Vatican fundraising commission established under dubious conditions during Francis hospitalization.

On Thursday, Leo officially annulled the commission, revoked its governing statutes, and dismissed all its members. The decree specifies that the commissions remaining assets will be absorbed into the Holy Sees general finances, with oversight of the process assigned to the Vatican patrimony office. A new advisory group, composed of members approved directly by the pope, will be created to develop future fundraising strategies and organizational guidelines.

This move reflects Leos ongoing effort, as 2025 draws to a close, to resolve unresolved issues from Francis pontificate. While honoring certain obligations of the previous pope, Leo is also setting the stage to advance his own priorities in the coming year.

The original commission had been announced on February 26 while Francis was hospitalized with double pneumonia. It was composed entirely of Italian members lacking professional fundraising experience. The panels president was the assessor of the Secretariat of State, the same Vatican office that had previously been stripped of asset management powers following a costly London property scandal.

The concentration of authority within the Secretariat, the absence of qualified fundraisers, and the lack of representation from the United Statesthe Vaticans largest donorprompted immediate skepticism about the commissions legitimacy. Critics suggested the initiative appeared to take advantage of a vulnerable pope to reallocate donation streams, particularly after the Secretariat lost control of its 600 million-euro ($684 million) sovereign wealth fund due to prior mismanagement.

Pope Leos decree effectively resets the Vaticans approach to fundraising. Donations are a vital revenue source for the Holy See, and American benefactors had expressed a desire for greater financial accountability and transparency. Leo, noted for his analytical background, is now positioned to implement these reforms.

Author: Connor Blake