The Vatican has announced losses for the third year with income of around €250m and expenditure at €254m. Donations from the faithful in churches were up 9% to $82m.
What this shows is that even though the church has been involved in the most disgraceful actions over the exposure of child abusers in its organisation, including refusing to release name to an investigation, the faithful still rally around and give it money.
With an income of a quarter of a billion Euros, it's obviously a very big international business but given that it's major iconic product is falling apart at the seams, that it's social influence attracts odium rather than passive acceptance, and that its political past is mired in right-wing dictatorships and repressive regimes, it's no wonder that it is beginning to lose money.
With ethical positions that beggar belief from the refusal to allow condoms in the campaign against AIDS, through to it's appalling treatment of women, to its persecution of gays, it's a wonder any catholics remain who try to justify the church position.
On a social level, parents must be very worried about the protection their children receive at the hands of catholic education. Even though the actual risks of crimes being committed is low, the fear is produced by the church's unwillingness to address the issue openly and forcefully.
Hopefully this is a sign that people are waking up to the irrelevance of religion, to the distorted social reality it engenders, to the prejudice and moral bankruptcy of religious institutions.
But then maybe we'll see a rebranding exercise. Isn't that what businesses do when they find themselves up against the wall? Change the logo? Change the name?
