where/how did the Catholic Church get all that money ?

[JI7]

is there any good book on this. i'm sure it goes back hundreds of years but would like something more detailed.

[varkam]

1. I would imagine they got the money from the parishioners. eom

[babylonsister]

2. Kidding? Donations, every Sunday, for years and years. nt

[Scurrilous]

3. They don't pay much in taxes...

...that helps.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Some answers

http://www.cloakanddagger.de/media/where_the_vatican_wealth_is_stor.htm

and

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061201175736AAx89Vt

Am sure there are more sites with info. I simply googled: roman catholic church net worth

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. In the Spanish looting of the Americas, the hundreds of millions of

gold and silver that went back to Spain, 10% went to the king, 10% went to the church, off the top. Then add to that that everybody tithed, but the church didn't pay any taxes.

Quite a racket.

[Ian David]

6. Well, there were these "crusades" and such, for one thing...

during which they plundered the middle east, as well as any Jewish communities that happened to be along their way...

And at some point, they decided they needed to keep their priests from amassing wealth and passing it on to children, so they came up with those vows of celibacy and poverty, to keep even more money in the hands of the church.

The Vatican is really the largest, wealthiest and most successful, money making scheme of all time.

No disrespect meant to their customers who get some positive spirtual benefit from their product.

[IChing]

7. Book on line or at Amazon

http://www.cephasministry.com/catholic_vaticans_billions_1.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1352730#1352830

[LostInAnomie]

8. A lot comes from weekly donations, but the unspoken secret is...

... they lay a HUGE guilt trip on old parishioners before they die, and on bereaved families at wakes and funerals.

It also doesn't hurt that the Catholic Church is one of the biggest land owners in the world.

[JI7]

10. ok, i think that's it, the land ownership

i understand the raising of the money for hundreds of years. but they also spend a lot.

but land ownership would help to keep things in their favor.

[onehandle]

9. The church was founded by the apostle Peter.

In 2000 years you can accumulate a lot of wealth.

[Disturbed]

14. Also, a lot of people that work for them do not get paid or

they get very little pay. Most of the Priests and Nuns don't get much of a salary. Over the hundreds of years they looted a lot of Art treasures, as well.

[JI7]

16. i assume the priests and nuns don't really need or want salaries

considering the lifestyle they have. just the basics such as a place to live, food, and health care costs.

if priests and nuns could get married things would be different.

[splat]

21. Priests don't take a vow of poverty (monks do) ; many live well n/t

[rug]

11. It's not that much. ExxonMobil made $39 billion the last 3 months of 2006.

[IChing]

15. they own into Exxon and all the defense industries.

and banks and into the federal reserve in gold supplies.

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. The priests take a vow of poverty, they pay no taxes, a lot

of time & materials are donated or supplied a discount & they take in big cash collections every week.

[rodeodance]

13. each parish has to pay its own debt (or dioses in this case)--Rome refuses

to pay out---that is why some are in bankrupcy court

[MichiganVote]

17. Land, investments,fraud

[zehnkatzen]

18. Well, when you have a billion or so donors...

...eventually that sort of thing starts to add up.

Of course, the Church got a whole lot of real property by affiliating itself with the powerful–who were told for an awful long time, televangelist-style, that if you pay up in the here and now then God will lurve you all that much more in the hereafter.

That provided them thier nut. They picked the right pony in Charlemagne and it was just uphill since then.

These days-heck, if you can't get yourself a living wage from over a billion adherents (who are encouraged to donate money at any time (Peter's Pence, e.g.), not only at Sunday service, then I don't know what to do with you.

If you do, then can I have some money? God said it was okay. :D

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. From my mom and dad

Every Sunday for at least 65 years. And millions of other devout Catholics :)

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

20. Exactly and from my parents and grandparents as well.

Don't all religious organizations encourage their participants to donate money to them?

[pepperbear]

22. the pope picks up a few sheckels modeleling on the side too.

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/09/16/knPOPE_wideweb__470x367,0.jpg