How do Catholic cardinals make a living?

Answer 1

A cardinal in the Roman Catholic church is *usually* a bishop who has been appointed to the college of Cardinals, the group which elects a new pope. Some major sees (archdioceses) historically have a cardinal as their bishop. For instance, Bishop Gomez has just been appointed to the archdiocese of Los Angeles. He will assume leadership of the diocese when Cardinal Mahoney retires. As soon as he assumes leadership, he will automatically be know as an Archbishop, later the Holy Father will probably raise him to the rank of Cardinal. There are priests who are cardinals, usually elderly theologicans who are given the rank as an honor. Most of them are bishops, though, and all Bishops must be a Bishop of some diocese. As there are many cardinals working in the Vatican who do not have a diocese, they are usually given a diocese which no longer exists in fact, just on paper.

So most cardinals have a "job" as a bishop of a diocese, which gives them a stipend. As a bishop owns everything in his diocese, it's not really as if there is anyone to pay him a salary. Cardinals in Rome who do not have a diocese are no doubt reimbursed by the Vatican.