Godspeed! Pope Francis was given the keys to a brand new Lamborghini – and is auctioning it off for charity to help Iraqi Christians return and rebuild their country.
Pope Francis received the special edition car on Wednesday outside of his private residence at the Casa Santa Marta. It sports the papal colors, white with gold inlay. Pope Francis blessed the car and signed his name on the hood.
The car will be auctioned off by Sotheby’s in London, with the proceeds going to four charities in Pope Francis’ name. It is expected to fetch far above the retail cost for the Lamborghini Huracan, which starts around $200,000.
One of the four charities is “Aid to the Church in Need,” a papal charity that helps Catholics wherever they are repressed or persecuted. The funds will go towards rebuilding homes and churches of Iraqi Christians in the Nineveh Plains of Iraq, east of Mosul. A statement from the Holy See Press Office said the funds raised will help Christians who have taken refuge in Kurdistan “finally return to their roots and recover their dignity.”
A portion of the funds will also go to the “John XXIII Community,” a lay organization of the faithful that works to offer refuge and protection for women victim to human trafficking and prostitution. The final charities are Gicam, working in Cameroon, and Friends of Central Africa, which both provide medical care for impoverished women and children.
Source: ucatholic.com
