Rome Newsroom, 16 January, 2025 / 3:00 pm (ACI Africa).
At Pope Francis’ request, the Vatican will now pay a monthly bonus of 300 euros (about $309) per family to employees of the city-state who have three or more children, giving credibility to his frequent warnings about countries’ low fertility rates.
A Jan. 15 press release from the Vatican Governorate called the child bonus the pope’s “personal initiative” and said that Francis “supports large families and offers them financial assistance.”
The economic measure applies only to employees working for the Governorate of the Vatican City State, who will receive the monthly payment until the offspring’s 18th birthday or 24th birthday if enrolled in university studies.
Francis has also determined that the city-state’s three days of paid parental leave for new fathers — whether through birth, adoption, or fostering — be extended to five days.
The changes went into effect Jan. 1.
