NEWS ABOUT BENEDICT

The Italian papers today all note from yesterday's preliminary 2006 financial report for the Vatican that worldwide contributions to the Pope's charities in 2006 doubled compared to 2005 and the last full year of John Paul's Pontificate. Here is the report in La Repubblica:


Boom in contributions
for Papal charities

ROME - In Papa Ratzinger's Pontificate, the contributions to Peter's Pence have doubled. Donations in 2006 reached $109,900,000 for the fund which the Pope uses at his discretion in the service of the Universal Church. In 2005, the sum collected was $59,441,000, which was a slight increase of $7,731,000 from collections in 2004, the last full year of John Paul's Pontificate.

Peter's Pence is the total of all worldwide contributions made specifically for the Pope's apostolic and charitable missions.