According to "a new book by Italian investigative journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi which scrutinized more than 3,000 confidential Vatican documents, says the Vatican is in dire financial shape" [1]. "Nuzzi reports that contributions to the worldwide Peter’s Pence collection have dropped from €101 million in 2006 to less than €60 million." [2]
It could be speculated that the drop in Peter's Pence collection stemmed from the sex scandals that the Vatican tacitly condoned by not laicizing the offenders. "But a new scandal, alleging large-scale unauthorized speculation with funds from the Peter’s Pence collection, threatens to steepen the decline in contributions." [3]
Also "poor management of the nearly 3,000 properties owned by the Vatican’s real estate office, [APSA, Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See [4]]. has also [very likely] contributed [to the decline]. Of the 2,926 properties, 800 are reportedly empty while others are rented out free of charge." [5]
"'There is no threat of collapse or default here. There is only the need for a spending review. And that is what we're doing. I can prove it to you with numbers,' [Bishop Nunzio] Galantino said on Oct. 22." [6]
It is advisable that people not hold their breath waiting for Bishop Nunzio Galantino to show proof.
Perhaps spending ought to be reduced significantly across the board and use the funds that were supposedly earmarked for the poor actually go to the poor.
The good news is that the Catholic Church may be on its way to becoming a poor church. If it happens, it will be a miracle for the ages.
[1] https://www.irishcentral.com/news/vatican-financial-collapse
[2] https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=43853
[3] Ibid., quoted without hyperlink.
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administration_of_the_Patrimony_of_the_Apostolic_See
[5] https://www.theweek.co.uk/103884/is-the-vatican-facing-a-cash-crisis
[6] https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vaticans-asset-manager-says-holy-see-is-not-going-broke-64222
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