Pope's Fiat auctioned to raise money for Catholic causes

• Auction on Jan. 29 raised $82,000 to benefit ministries and missions of the archdiocese of Philadelphia.
• The auction, with remote bidding, lasted 11 minutes at the Philadelphia Auto Show Black Tie Tailgate.
• The pope used the Fiat 500L during his visit to Philadelphia, Sept. 26-27, 2015.
• Max Spann was selected as the auctioneer because of its previous work with the Philadelphia Archdiocese.

PHILADELPHIA - A one-of-a-kind Fiat used by Pope Francis during his historic Philadelphia visit last year was sold at auction for $82,000 by Max Spann Real Estate & Auction Co.

The auction, held Friday, Jan 29, was at the Philadelphia Auto Show Black Tie Tailgate. The bidding lasted just 11 minutes before Michael and Kate Chapman, owners of Chapman Auto Group, secured the winning bid. Bidders were able to bid remotely.

The proceeds of the auction will benefit Catholic Social Services, Mercy Hospice, Casa Del Carmen and the Archdiocesan Schools of Special Education.

“It certainly was an honor for our firm to run the auction of this unique car,” said Bob Dann, the executive vice president and chief operations officer for the Clinton-based real estate company. “We’re especially proud that the proceeds of this auction will be used for important charities throughout the Philadelphia area.”

The Fiat 500L was donated to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the World Meeting of Families — Philadelphia 2015 after the papal visit on Sept. 26 and 27. A second papal Fiat is on display at the Philadelphia Auto Show, which runs through Sunday, Feb. 7.

Max Spann, one of the nation’s leading real estate auction houses, was selected as the auctioneer because of its previous work with the Philadelphia Archdiocese. In 2012, the firm auctioned Villa St. Joseph by the Sea, a 19-room beachfront mansion in Ventnor, owned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The home, which had been used as a vacation retreat for elderly priests, was sold for more than $4.5 million.

“When we learned that the papal Fiats would be given to the archdiocese, we looked for a creative way to use them in a way that would positively impact our local community and reflect Pope Francis’ messages of love and care for the poor,” said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput.

Half of the proceeds of the auction will benefit the Catholic Charities Appeal. The other half will be divided into thirds and donated to Mercy Hospice, a residential program for women in recovery and mothers in recovery with children; Casa Del Carmen, which assists low-income residents with applying for and enrolling in a comprehensive suite of federal, state and local benefits; and the Schools of Special Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The papal Fiat that was auctioned will be kept on display at Chapman’s dealership in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

To purchase tickets to the Philadelphia Auto Show, visit www.autophillyshow.com.

For more information about Max Spann’s auctions, visit maxspann.com, or follow Max Spann on Facebook/MaxSpann and Twitter/MaxSpann.