SURVIVING SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL FATHERS
As of April 2025, there are four surviving Bishops who participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), often referred to as “Council Fathers.” These individuals are among the last living witnesses to one of the most significant events in modern Catholic history.
1. Cardinal Francis Arinze (Nigeria)
• Born: November 1, 1932 (age 92)
• Role at Vatican II: Attended the final session in 1965 as coadjutor bishop of Onitsha.
• Notable Facts: At age 32, he was the youngest Catholic Bishop in the world at the time. Consecrated Bishop in 1965 by Archbishop Charles Heerey. Made a Cardinal in 1985 by Pope Johnpaul II and later served as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. 
2. Archbishop Victorinus Youn Kong-hi (South Korea)
• Born: November 8, 1924 (age 100)
• Role at Vatican II: Attended the second, third, and fourth sessions as Bishop of Suwon.
• Notable Facts: He later became Archbishop of Gwangju and served as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea. 
3. Bishop José de Jesús Sahagún de la Parra (Mexico)
• Born: January 1, 1922 (age 103)
• Role at Vatican II: Attended the first, second, and fourth sessions as Bishop of Tula.
• Notable Facts: He is the only surviving council father from the Americas. 
4. Bishop Daniel Alphonse Omer Verstraete, O.M.I. (Belgium/South Africa)
• Born: July 31, 1924 (age 100)
• Role at Vatican II: Attended the final session in 1965 as prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Western Transvaal.
• Notable Facts: He served as Bishop of Klerksdorp in South Africa.   
These four Bishops represent the final living links to the Second Vatican Council, which brought significant reforms to the Catholic Church, including the promotion of the vernacular in the Liturgy, enhanced engagement with the modern world, and a renewed emphasis on ecumenism.
Pope Francis Asset
Pope Francis’s personal wealth at the time of his death was just $100, or less than 90 euros.
He had no property, no personal bank accounts, and no investments.
According to the British newspaper Mirror, Pope Francis was entitled to an annual salary of about 340,000 euros since he was elected Supreme Pontiff in 2013. However, as a member of the Society of Jesus, he had taken a vow of poverty and decided never to receive that salary during his entire pontificate.
Instead of living in the luxurious papal apartments used by his predecessors, Francis chose to reside in the Casa Santa Marta, a small residence within the Vatican, where he led a much simpler life.
During his pontificate, he rejected many luxuries and maintained a modest routine, despite having all necessary expenses covered by the Vatican, such as food, travel, security, and accommodation.