Govenrment and Business Environment Case Study

The Vatican: Challenges Ahead

OR

Abstract:
Pope Benedict XVI has been elected as the new leader of the Vatican and the followers of the Roman Catholic faith in April 2005, after the death of his predecessor Pope John Paul II. He has inherited several challenges like the weak financial health of the Vatican and the debate on the issue of decentralisation of authority to bishops. The Catholic faith has witnessed a healthy growth in Asia, Latin America and Africa, while its influence in Western European countries and the US has been weakening since the 1980s.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To discuss the various challenges faced by the new Pope in the wake of poor financial health of Vatican and numerous scandals and controversies of Vatican.

Keywords : Vatican (The Roman Catholic Church), Government and Business Environment Case Study,Pontiff and his papacy, Woman ordination, US sex-abuse lawsuits and settlements, The Roman Curia, The College of Cardinals, Conclave and the Sistine Chapel, The Vatican’,s diplomatic relations, United Nations Organisation (UNO), Peter’,s Pence, Financial deficit and financial statements, Appreciation of euro against the US dollar, Cannon law, Decentralisation of power, Growth rate of Catholic population