Thanks, you guys, for explaining the daring comment.
I know nothing of the church's finances, futurechemist, but imo "liquidating" the Sistine Chapel would be a crime against the human spirit.
I also don't know how much, if any, say an individual pope has in the merch. Did JP2 really personally approve the fabulous Pope Decanter I bought in the '80s? Probably not. I hope some of the $$$ gathered does at least go toward various charities and what not.
Fun fact: If you shop at one of the stores in Vatican City, they'll hold your purchases, have them blessed by the pope, and deliver them to your hotel (I bought St. Francis medals for me and my cat-owning friends). I picture the pontiff pausing in the open door of a warehouse stacked with kitsch, flicking some holy water in the general direction of the pile, doing the cross thing, and moving along to his next mundane papal chore.