This is a rambling thought that just wandered through my mind and won’t leave:
Does the Pope get a paycheck?
I have never let schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain
Don’t almost all catholic orders take oaths of poverty? I’d think this applies to bishops and cardinals as well as priests, monks and nuns. What I think this means is that each institution (monastary, church, dioces, Vatican, whatever) has a budget, and a certain part of that budget is devoted to the expences of the clergy. I think the church would consider that money to be a cost of living allowance rather than a paycheck. I’d be suprised if they were allowed to keep personal savings accounts.
The above, of course, was a guess.
No, priests and bishops do get paid.
Their living costs are usually covered by their parish or diocese, but priests are permitted to go to the theater or a ballgame, or send birthday presents to their nephews and nieces, if they wish. For this they need personal funds.
It’s not a job one takes to get rich, of course, but there is a salary involved.
- Rick
Ursa is correct that many Catholic orders take vows of poverty, but I don’t think all of them do. Also, there are diocesan priests that work for the diocese rather than for a particular order; I think their money is their own.
As for the OP, I doubt the Pope takes a salary per se. I imagine his expenses are simply covered by the Vatican budget.
Of course, all of the above could be wrong. 
Jeff
Diocesan priests don’t take a vow of poverty. Nuns and most order priests (eg the Jesuits and Dominicans) do take one, however. It’s not a job you’ll get rich in, but diocesan priests and bishops do get a paycheck. As for the pope, I have no idea. Maybe he gets one for his position as Bishop of Rome.
–It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
In fact, his budget was so tight last year, that he was trying to buy a warm hat with floppy earmuffs, to stay warm when he’s visiting cold countries… but he couldn’t afford it, and had to wear a little white yalmuka (beanie) instead.
s} ba-da-chink
If the Pope does get a paycheck, I wonder who signs it? God?
I don’t know for sure but I kinda doubt that he gets a paycheck per say. He is more like a king anyway in this respect, everything he comes in contact is already his.
I’ve never seen him down at the station pumping gas or at the store late at night (maybe he’s a morning person). Where does he get his underwear, socks, toilet paper and such?
Probable answer, if he ever needed anything he could just have the treasurer of the Vatican cut a purchase order. New jet here, new pope mobile there if he really was that type of guy. This one seems to be pretty good, but God knows that some of them have been less meek.
watch what you say
or they’ll be calling
you a radical,
a liberal,fanatical
a criminal…
I wouldn’t compare the pope to a king, Jaydabee. After all, a king can just tax his subjects. The RCC’s entire budget comes from donations. They actually had some pretty bad money problems, until Detroit’s former archbishop was sent to Rome to oversee finances. Now they’re doing OK. (God, I can’t believe I can’t remember his name :o. Edmund Szocka?)
–It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
Diceman, it is Edmund Scozka ( sp?)
Being an escaped catholic and a grand neice of two priests, I am embarrassed that I didn’t think a little harder on this answer.But you dopers came thru with intelligent answers.
I have never let schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain
As far as the Vatican See goes, Dice, the Pope is a King. As far as the Roman Catholic Church goes as a whole, the Pope is the titular head of the church. Different issues, same person.