BY Daniel Harkins | March 2 | 
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Pope Francis say Church rejects blood money
“The People of God don’t need their dirty money but hearts that are open to the mercy of God,” Holy Father said about earnings from people exploited, enslaved and underpaid
The Church rejects blood money earned from people who have been enslaved, exploited or underpaid, Pope Francis said this morning.
“I think of some benefactors of the Church, who come with an offer for the Church and their offer is the fruit of the blood of people who have been exploited, enslaved with work which was underpaid,” the Pope told pilgrims at his weekly general audience. “I will tell these people to please take back their cheques. The People of God don’t need their dirty money but hearts that are open to the mercy of God.”
In January, a BBC investigation found Church land in Uganda was being used for child labour.
Pope Francis has made reform of the Vatican finances a key goal of his Papacy, following on from work began by Pope Benedict XVI. The Institute for Religious Works, commonly known as the Vatican bank, published its first annual report on a new website in 2013, and in 2011 the Holy See asked Moneyval, the Council of Europe’s money-laundering agency, to compile a report on its safeguards against financial criminality.
The Pope also spoke during the general audience about refugees who are attempting to enter Europe, inviting the faithful to ‘be open, during this year of grace, to our heavenly Father’s merciful invitation to come back to him and to experience this miracle of his love and forgiveness.’
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