Communist do not believe in religion… fyi this is a core function of the communist state ti eliminate any factors like religion.
If you looking for the well bank accounts which they did business with you see the leader is the one that made the deal so then it was no so much the Pope as much as people think it was is the thing.
War is expensive so the thing is they had only so many large banks around is the thing. Italian had a good number of these is the thing. Only other areas that could move things like this was British and Russia now you tell me where it was likely they had most their money at. Also we did not really actually stop things for a bit as well the US ok. This was semi I believe to build up the industry base as they had a understanding that it was likely to happen. It allowed them time to do this which could have very much been the difference in the war.