From Corriere della sera comes something straight from a Fellini movie (my translation).
I am not making this up.
Inspection – The Pope declared war on the Vatican’s luxury cars. First, he attacked wastefulness, underscoring that “it bothers me when I see a priest or a sister with a brand new car”. Then, a few days later, he put into practice what he had stated during a meeting with seminarians: on Wednesday he made an inspection of the Vatican parking lot. It isn’t the first time – already in the past days Pope Francis, on his way to lunch with a cardinal friend, visited the place where some cardinals usually park their cars.
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The Pope is checking out what cars Vatican employees and cardinals are driving. Really?
This whole topic is a phenomenal waste of time. I post on it because, mark my words, people who can barely scrape three brain cells together, are going to latch onto the vague moralism of “think of the poor” when looking at the local priest’s car. There are some people who think that if the priest isn’t licking up water from puddles on the sidewalk and rubbing gravel through his hair, he is a bad priest who doesn’t care enough about las ovejas pobres.
Look. We need to make distinctions about a “good” car and a “luxury” car. We need to consider the prudent use of money as well. Is it a better use of money to buy a car that is old and used, newer and used, new? It depends on the car and how it is used, its safety features and record, its fuel efficiency and repair record. It depends on the price of the car and the price of the money (financing). If the same money will buy a new good car or a used car, are you obliged to buy the used car? Does fuel efficiency figure in? Is this only about cars that look “sporty”? Is this about leather seats? Is this about what other people in the area drive? Priests often put a lot of miles on a car. It seems to me that priests are better off in a good car. Therefore, the flock is better off if the priest has a good car.
In the meantime, I understand that there is a run on old Fiats right now by Vatican employees and officials.
UPDATE:
I am deeply concerned about the cost of the Holy Father’s “PopeMobile”.
It bothers me to see Popes riding in vehicles that cost upwards of $528K. That’s right: over half a million dollars. Think of the poor!
If only there were a less expensive alternative.
If only there were a way to make sure that people could see the Holy Father as he moves from point A to point B and not take food from the mouths of poor children.
What could it be?
UPDATE:
See also:
