How much is the Roman Catholic church worth?

Meaning, how much wealth does the Roman Catholic church have today (in land, gold, banks, etc.)? The only numbers I could find were from the 1960s. The numbers were around 15 bill but it much be many times that now. Please cite. Thanks!

In monetary value; an obscene amount of money.

In moral worth; nil

I don't even know if I'd trust those numbers from the '60s.

Here's the issue - wealth isn't just a matter of gold, land, etc, but it has to be taken against liabilities - salaries, expenditures for relief efforts and operations, etc. An organization may take in $80 million in donations or a company in revenues, but what if liabilities are $80.5 million? Wealth becomes negative then.

Also, there is property that is difficult to put a price on. What's the value of St. Peter's Basilica? What about the many works of art? I used to work as a credit analyst and man the stuff small businesses would put on their financial statements. Stocks and houses are one thing, but what about a rare automobile, or a work of art by a lesser-known artist in his 90's (ie, it MIGHT go up in value when he dies, presumably soon).

I don't know, but I believe it's usually overestimated. For instance, the Japanese company that helped finance the restoration of the Sistine chapel owns the copyright to all photographs. You have to consider the age of the buildings that are so beautiful constructed out of stone of marble. They rent, not own a plane. I think there are several misconceptions about how much the Catholic Church has in terms of liquid assets.

It is difficult to tell for the entire Church. Each diocese is run as a separate financial entity.

In 1981, Pope John Paul II ordered annual financial disclosures to debunk the idea that the Vatican is rich.

Here is an article on the 2008 annual financial report from the Vatican:

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jul09/0,4670,VaticanFinances,00.html

And 2007: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/07/09/vatican-finances.html

With love in Christ.

Well according to Quaid's site, they made 8.5 billion U.S. in the year 2000, but that does not tell us how much they have saved in all accounts, how much they own in land, or the value of ancient relics, art, and antiques.

I think to estimate 75 billion would not be unrealistic.

any time you fall on hard times, the nearest catholic church will put you in touch with one of their charities, while the govts. will twiddle their thumbs weighing up the cost.

25% of charities in africa are catholic run

probably billions, but then they did not follow Christ's commandment. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, so that were your treasures are you heart may be also."

http://www.zenit.org/article-1900?l=english

This gives you the information as of 2000. It's a boring read though.

It's not about momey. It's about power.

Presumably quite a lot. How else could they provide more basic human services to the poor of the world than all other churches combined?

Catholics are more than one sixth of the planet. 1.2 Billion.

Obviously, their church owns a lot of stuff.

It is priceless.It is the way of eternal salvation

Priceless :)

it is not worth a plug nickle to me