The purpose of papal financial stewardship is to safeguard and carefully administer the Church's temporal goods in light of its mission of evangelization, with a special concern for the needy 1 2. This responsibility is intimately linked to the Holy See's particular mission, serving the Holy Father in his universal ministry and contributing to the common good in light of integral human development 1.

Key aspects of papal financial stewardship include:

• Support for the Roman Curia The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) is responsible for managing the Holy See's real estate and movable assets to provide the necessary resources for the Roman Curia to carry out its work for the good of and in service to the particular Churches 3 4. APSA also administers assets entrusted to the Holy See by other entities, respecting their specific purposes and approved guidelines 3.
• Evangelization and Charity The wise, honest, and transparent management of the Church's temporal goods, in accordance with canon law, should be directed primarily towards evangelization and charity 2. Bishops are called to ensure that priests receive just remuneration so they can devote themselves to God's work and their pastoral mission without temporal distractions 2. The administration of Church goods should clearly proclaim Jesus' message of liberation to the poor 2.
• Transparency and Efficiency There is a fundamental emphasis on transparent and efficient management, with a clear separation of competencies and functions in the economic and financial activities of the Holy See 5. This includes setting up budgetary provisions like the Papal Funds, which are part of the Holy See's consolidated financial statements for greater transparency 6.
• Fidelity and Prudence The Church is conscious of her call to be a "faithful and prudent administrator" (Lk 12:42) of the goods entrusted to her 1. This principle requires all administrators to perform their functions with diligence, avoiding waste, self-interest, and unjustified privileges, while promoting good human relations and the rightful interests of the Apostolic See 7 8.
• Accountability and Control The Secretariat for the Economy provides norms and guidelines for keeping accounts and preparing balance sheets, ensuring that all dicasteries follow a consistent methodology 9. Expenditures from certain papal funds require specific authorization and verification to ensure correspondence with the Holy Father's instructions and budgetary provisions 6.
• Trust in Providence Along with diligent commitment, there should be a profound trust in Divine Providence, which, through the offerings of good people, will provide the means to pursue the Apostolic See's proper ends 7.

In essence, papal financial stewardship is about managing the Church's material resources in a way that reflects its spiritual mission, ensuring that these resources serve the universal Church, support its evangelizing and charitable works, and are managed with integrity and transparency 1 2 5.