Cardinal Bertone donates €150,000 to foundation that reportedly paid for work on his new apartment

December 21, 2015

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has contributed €150,000 ($164,000) to Bambino Gesu Foundation, offsetting most of the sum that the foundation reportedly paid for the remodeling of the cardinal’s Vatican apartment.

Leaked Vatican documents, made public in November, showed that the foundation had paid €200,000 for the renovations, calling them “slanderous.” Cardinal Bertone, the former Vatican Secretary of State denounced the charge as “slander” and insisted that he had paid for the work with his own personal funds. He said that he was unaware the foundation—which he supervised—had paid any of the contractors’ bills.

"Acknowledging that what has happened has been detrimental to the Bambino Gesu, Cardinal Bertone wanted to meet us half way," said the president of the Bambino Gesu Hospital, which receives fund from the foundation. The cardinal said that his contribution was entirely voluntary. “It’s not reimbursement, because I personally haven’t done any damage,” he said.

Although Cardinal Bertone is a member of the Salesian religious order, as a bishop he is not canonically bound to his vow of poverty.

 

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Further information:

• Italian cardinal donates cash after flat scandal (AFP)
• Italian Cardinal Bertone donates to medical research in wake of scandal (Deutsche Welle)
• Italian cardinal makes donation after flat row (BBC)
• Cardinal Bertone angrily denies new reports of corruption (CWN, 11/6)