THE FRANCISCANS

It is only of passing interest to note that despite strenuous attempts, nowhere could I find any mention of the family name of Francis of Assisi.
Suffice to say that in 1209 a man called Francis who lived in Assisi, Italy, suffered a nervous collapse, after which he became a preacher, calling for repentance of all sinners and for a life of poverty.

After a most turbulent and troublesome history, the Franciscan Order became one of the most dominant Orders in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church., 
Outwardly professing poverty and disavowing personal property, as a clan the Franciscans became quite wealthy, administering a variety of investments, specifically in Real Estate Holdings.

Now, believe it or not, the Order's General Minister, Michael Anthony Perry, informed all members of his clan that the Order is threatened with bankruptcy and urges his brothers to make a financial contribution to stave off this final ignominy.

There is talk of "investments into dubious corporations, against whom investigations for money laundering, weapons- and drug dealing is now under way as well as expenditures amounting to millions of Euros for the restoration of a Franciscan owned hotel in Rome.
The Order, so it is explained, has become the victim of a "giant fraud", which had happened during the reign of Perry's predecessor, Jose Rodriguez Carballo, who, in turn, was promoted by Pope Franciscus to the position of Archbishop, second in Command of the congregation of Orders.

Take note of all of this in conjunction with the machinations of the Vatican Bank, which, believe it or not, is officially called the "Institution for Spiritual Work". (In this case the Deutsche Bank and Barkley's Bank might well be called "Institutions for the fight against poverty.")

So, the Franciscans have become "victims of a giant fraud".
I think that only if you are greedy and want to become rich quickly can you become victimized by fraudulent operators.

Good Old Francis of Assisi would likely turn over in his grave.