Is Vatican City & the Pope too rich?

[mlfitzgerald032]

What is the biblical justification for the Pope living in Vatican City/Catholicism having its own city? How did Vatican City come about?

I am most concerned with the appearance that the Pope lives very much beyond his means - summer homes, extravagant mansion, lavish meals…his own city. Is this as it appears? I question because most religious desire to live simply/in solidarity with the poor - how can the Pope justify living as such, knowing that good Catholics are following biblical scripture to provide to the Church at large when they can? (Couldn’t the Pope sell off property or other extravagances to feed the hungry?) Has the previous Pope and/or previous Popes spoken about their living conditions (even jokingly)? Has the magistrate written about standards for living conditions of the Pope?

Thank you!!

 

[Devon_Caffran]

The following links should assist you in better understanding the Catholic Church’s teaching on wealth. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please [contact Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.com/home/contact.asp) directly.
**Recommended Reading:
**

• Shouldn’t the Church sell off its artifacts?
• ** Is luxurious living a sin?**
• ** When is trying to make money working for mammon?**
• ** Is it a sin to be rich?**
• ** Live Simply? Live Shrewdly by Donna Doornik**
• ** The Mass, the Temple, and Loraine Boettner by T.L. Frazier**