VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo has dissolved a high-level Catholic commission established to encourage donations to the Vatican, the Vatican said on Thursday, rolling back one of the final decisions of his predecessor Francis.

The "Commission on Donations for the Holy See" was instituted by Francis in February, as the late pope was being treated in hospital for his final illness, to help stem a widening gap in the Vatican's finances.

The group, meant to encourage donations from lay Catholics, bishops conferences and other benefactors, had consisted of five Italian Church officials, leading some Church insiders to question whether they had the requisite fundraising expertise.

Leo dissolved the group in a decree dated September 29 but released on Thursday. He did not give reasons for his decision.

The pope directed that any funds already collected by the commission be given to the Vatican's general accounting office and said a new work group would be created to consider a future fundraising commission.

The Vatican reported its first budget surplus last month after years of deficits that had long-frustrated Church leaders.

Francis, who died in April, had long struggled to get the Vatican's budget under control.

He was battling firm resistance from his own cardinals in his last months as he sought to plug the gap in the Vatican's finances, and slashed cardinals' salaries three times between 2021 and 2024. — Reuters