Church teaches us not to focus on material wealth while it itself owns quite a lot of it. The priests and bishops live lavish lives, and build grand churches while people live in poverty. Why?

The magisterium or the teaching authority of the Church comes directly from Christ. The teachings of the Church are the teachings of Christ. Jesus’s mandate to his disciple before leaving earth was to teach people to obey all his commandments. Mathew 28:19. And Jesus also said to his disciples “He who hears you hears me” Luke 10:16. 

Now about material possessions Jesus said “Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth where moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store for yourself treasures in heaven where moths and vermin do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Mathew 6:19-21 

Jesus teaches us not to be attached to material possessions but to trust in God for all our needs including material needs. He taught us to pray “give us this day our daily bread”. 

Thus the mandate of Christ is the mandate of the Catholic Church. And that’s why the Catholic Church will continue to uphold and teach the Truth despite her own failures. We should be thankful that these teachers are not watering down the original teachings to fit their own weaknesses and disordered desires. So it is important that we learn to distinguish between the teaching office of the Catholic Church and how the members of the Church respond to this teaching. 

Every blessing including material blessing comes from God. As God’s people we need land and money. We need churches to offer worship to God, we need schools to educate, we need hospitals to continue the healing ministry of Christ. We need establishments to govern and function as a community. But if our focus turns from service to wealth itself, we are failing to obey Jesus’s own commandment. It is applicable not only to the bishops and priests but to each one of us. If my life’s goal is amassing material wealth, and I value my material possessions more than God, or if my trust is in my possession rather than in God, the question that Jesus asks is pointed towards us – ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ Luke 12:20

Often we become critical of the clergy because of a wound or a bad experience we may have received from them. We also assume Church to them and believers to be us. In fact we are the Church. It is just that some members of the Church offer their lives to serve the kingdom as priests and religious are chosen by God to undertake specific roles in the kingdom of God. It is also a call to a higher virtue and service. But sometimes human beings fail like we all do. But God offers us opportunities to change our ways and follow Jesus’s commandments faithfully in the Church, through the Church and with the Church. 

Every church people build belongs to the people of that parish. The parishioners decide the size and architecture of the building. They often want the best for God. Look at the women at the feet of Jesus who recklessly pour out the expensive Nardine perfume on to his feet. Jesus does not condemn her. But we notice Judas does and the bible tells us what his intentions were. So if the building is built as a style statement or a show of might, money and power, the intention as we know is questionable before God. 

And finally Jesus also desires that we look into our own condition before judging others so he tells us “First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Mathew 7:5. 

We do see Pope Francis and countless Bishops taking steps encouraging us to cut down extravagance and be wise stewards of the God-given wealth.