💸 Will Pope Leo XIV Have to File and Pay U.S. Taxes? (The Patrick Madrid Show)

Patrick tackled one of the strangest questions to hit the Wall Street Journal lately:Does the first American Pope have to file U.S. taxes?   It’s not as simple as “render unto Caesar.”     🧾 Wait... The IRS and the Pope?!   Here’s the deal: Patrick explains that U.S. citizens have to file taxes, even if they don't live in the country. So technically, yes, Pope Leo XIV might be required to file a return. But... he’s also a religious with a vow of poverty, meaning he doesn’t personally own anything. Any stipend or salary he’s ever received has gone to the Order of St. Augustine, which is tax-exempt.   So, the IRS probably isn't expecting a form from the Vatican anytime soon .   🍬 What Would He Even Spend Money On?   Patrick and Cyrus had fun imagining Pope Leo walking into a shop in his white cassock and trying to buy a candy bar:   “Are you going to ring him up at the register, or just say, ‘Holy Father, it’s yours. Please just bless my store!’” 😂   The Pope doesn’t exactly need a paycheck. His lodging, food, clothing... it’s all provided. There’s just not a lot of financial action happening in papal life.     Should He File Anyway?   Some tax experts say yes, just to be safe:   -Filing protects against identity theft.   -It starts the clock on the IRS’s audit window.   -It shows civic responsibility, even if no taxes are owed.   But Patrick’s guess is:   “Pope Leo’s not going to sit at his desk with a calculator and TurboTax open.”   Is the IRS going to arrest the Pope for skipping a W-2? Very unlikely. But it’s a funny, very modern dilemma that shows what happens when centuries of tradition meet the fine print of U.S. tax law.   And as Cyrus put it: “You’re the Pope. You don’t have to file.”     The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.