Vatican, Curia cardinals a 5,000 euro salary. Francis had cut it

For years the Curia cardinals, therefore paid by the Vatican from its budget, have received around €5,500, plus accommodation and the service car if in office in some dicastery. For the past three years, Francis had taken steps to reduce this allowance down to 5,000 euro, due to budget difficulties, and even last autumn he had sent them a letter asking them to reduce their expenses as much as possible: the further cut was one hundred euro. In recent years, the Pope has received a symbolic fee - 2,500 euro, the same as his predecessor - that ended up in his accounts, which have been used for charity and other purposes related to the work of the Curia.

It is a different matter for cardinals who are in charge of dioceses. In this case, the salary and any other remuneration depends on the budget of the individual diocese, and therefore may vary. As far as Italy is concerned, the clergy, in its complexity, are allocated funds, known as 'Sostentamento', which are included in the calculation of the eight per thousand, which with the revision of the concordat have supplanted the old rules. It is well known, however, that the salaries of the 'residential' cardinals are fairly in line with those of the Curia, even if some dioceses are decidedly more financially solid than others.

Last November, in particular, the Pope had ordered the suspension of the disbursement of the 'Gratification for the Secretariat' and the 'Office Allowance' hitherto recognised among the monthly emoluments" due to Curia cardinals. In the same letter requesting "a sign of concrete demonstration of the spirit of service and essentiality", the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, lay manager Maximino Caballero Ledo, then announced the arrival of "other measures" that "will require the contribution of everyone". It will now be up to his successor to decide on these issues as well, given that the Holy See's budget deficit last year was 83 million, and over 50 million previously, figures that require a constant spending review.