- 28 June, 2025
Vatican City, June 28, 2025: The Vatican released the 2024 annual report on Peter’s Pence on Friday, June 27, revealing that the global fund raised €58 million over the past year to support the Pope’s apostolic mission and charitable works. The report showed that donations to the fund increased by €6 million compared to 2023, with contributions helping finance aid projects across 66 countries.
Expenditures by Peter’s Pence totalled 75.4 million euros. Of these, 61.2 million euros were used to support activities carried out by the Holy See through its dicasteries serving the Pope’s apostolic mission, while 13.3 million euros were allocated to support 239 aid projects for those in need. These projects include support for community projects in places like Senegal, Peru, Romania, Benin and Angola, and material aid for populations affected by wars.
The report also mentions that the Pope, through the Roman Curia, donated an additional 37.3 million euros to charitable works (with 6.2 million euros funded by Peter’s Pence), bringing the total for charitable works to 50.6 million euros.
Donor Countries
In 2024, dioceses made up 59% of donations (€31.8 million), followed by private individuals at 16% (€8.9 million), foundations at 12.2% (€12.2 million), and religious institutions at 1.4% (€1.4 million). The countries with the highest donation amounts included the United States (25.2%), France (15%), Italy (5.2%), Brazil (3%), and Germany (2.8%). Other donor countries included South Korea, Mexico, Ireland, Spain, Colombia, and others, contributing 15% of the total.
Contributions to the Holy See's Mission
Regarding expenditures, €74.5 million was distributed to support the Holy See’s apostolic mission and specific direct aid projects. These include projects providing material assistance to developing countries and populations affected by wars, as well as support for evangelisation efforts by parishes, dioceses, and religious institutions in need.
In 2024 Peter’s Pence funded the construction of a training and missionary centre in Senegal, a parish church in Peru, and a hostel in Thailand.
Social Projects
The social projects funded by Peter's Pence include training and support programs, as well as material aid for local communities. In Romania, the fund helped build a facility for rehabilitation for people with special needs. In Syria, support provided healthcare for vulnerable families. In Benin, it contributed to the construction of the Catholic University of West Africa. Other projects included support for local churches and communities in Cuba, Angola, and India, as well as repairs to a monastery, renovations of a dormitory, and the construction of a nursing home.
In total, 239 projects were financed across 66 countries, including:
Africa: 64 projects (€5.7 million)
Europe: 118 projects (€3.3 million)
America: 26 projects (€ 1.9 million)
Asia: 29 projects (€2.3 million)
Oceania: 2 projects (less than €1 million)
The report also highlights scholarships for seminarians, priests, and religious from Africa, Latin America, and Asia to study at pontifical universities, as well as humanitarian aid for people in Ukraine.
The Pope’s Apostolic Mission
The final tables of the report show that in 2024 the Holy See's expenses amounted to €367.4 million, of which approximately €61.2 million (17%) was covered by Peter’s Pence.
The Pope’s apostolic mission covers several areas, including support for local churches in difficulty, evangelisation efforts, Apostolic Nunciatures, charity services, communicating the Gospel message, cultural heritage, academic institutions, human development, family life, education, science, and culture.
Courtesy: Vatican News
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