Sergio Sebastiani
© AFP/File Osservatore Romano

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - "I remember when the paedophile priest scandal occurred, the American media said that financing was going to diminish," said Monsignor Sergio Sebastiani, the Vatican's finance chief. "But when it comes to the Holy See, that has not been the case."

He added, however, that he was unsure if Americans' contributions to their own dioceses had been affected by the priest scandals.

And while the United States remained the largest contributor to the Vatican, Germany supplanted it last year in terms of contributions from dioceses, said Sebastiani.

Sebastiani's comments came as he unveiled the Vatican's 2006 financial results.

The US Catholic Church has been stung in recent years by allegations of failing to properly deal with priests accused of paedophilia and has been forced to pay out large settlements to victims of sexual abuse.

The archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed in December to pay 60 million dollars (44 million euros) to settle claims from 45 people who said they were victims of paedophile priests. Several dioceses, unable to make payments related to sex abuse cases, have filed bankruptcy.

The Vatican in 2006 posted its third-straight budget surplus, with 228 million euros (310 million dollars) in revenue compared to 225 million euros in expenses.

There was a 12-percent increase in donations to the papacy and the Holy See, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.

Revenue comes mainly from dioceses as well as tourists who visit the Vatican's museums. Much of it is spent on salaries for 2,704 employees.

After the United States the other main contributors are Germany, the homeland of Pope Benedict XVI, and Italy.

©AFP