Vatican City Holy( See). Dome of St. Peters Basil cathedral at Saint Peters Square | Image by Yasonya/Shutterstock

Pope Leo XIV disbanded a commission created by his predecessor to collect donations for the Holy See, less than 10 months after it was established by Pope Francis.

In a chirograph dated September 29, but published on December 4, Leo suppressed the Commission for Donations to the Holy See, repealed its statutes, and ordered its members to immediately cease functions. All assets of the body must be transferred to the Holy See, with the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See tasked with overseeing liquidation.

The Pope cited recommendations from the Council for the Economy, which has been studying Vatican fundraising structures.

“The issue of donations and fundraising for the Holy See represents an important aspect of the bond of unity and charity between the particular Churches and the Apostolic See, particularly from the perspective of the effective exercise of the Petrine ministry,” Leo wrote, per Vatican News.

A new working group, whose members will be proposed by the Council for the Economy and approved by the Pope through the Secretariat of State, will draft fresh proposals for managing donations and recommend an appropriate structure.

Francis had created the commission on February 11, 2025, and its existence was announced on February 26, while he was hospitalized. The body, led by the assessor of the Secretariat of State and composed solely of Italians with no professional fundraising background, drew immediate criticism for lacking expertise and for appearing to restore financial influence to a department previously stripped of asset-management powers after a costly London real estate scandal.

The Secretariat for the Economy, together with a designated working group, will handle any matters arising from the dissolution and keep the Council for the Economy informed.

The move is the latest adjustment by Leo to initiatives launched during Francis’ pontificate as the American Pope continues to reshape Vatican administrative and financial operations.