..."Few believe butler Paolo Gabriele worked alone to leak dozens of documents shedding light on power struggles, corruption and intrigue inside the highest levels of the Catholic Church. The leaks have tormented the Vatican for months and painted a picture of a church hierarchy in utter disarray.
Gabriele, the pope’s personal butler since 2006, was arrested Wednesday evening after Holy See documents were found inside his Vatican City apartment, adding a Hollywood twist to the already sordid “Vatileaks” scandal. He remains in custody in a Vatican detention facility, accused of theft, and has met with his wife and lawyers.
Gabriele’s lawyer, Carlo Fusco, said Monday his client was “very serene and calm,” despite the whirlwind of speculation surrounding his arrest. He said Gabriele himself had told the Vatican judge investigating the case that he would “respond to all the questions and will collaborate with investigators to ascertain the truth.”
Italian media reported Monday that a cardinal is suspected of playing a major role in the scandal. However, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, denied the reports categorically. He said many Vatican officials were being questioned but insisted “there is no cardinal under suspicion.”
But Lombardi acknowledged that the investigation continues.
And on Monday, Italian daily La Repubblica published a rambling interview with what it described as another Vatican “mole,” someone who described the various agendas at play behind the leaks.
The unnamed leaker said the aim was to show how weak Pope Benedict XVI is, the fears of his secretary of state, and to make clear that the “fundamental role of the church is to defend the Gospel, not accumulate power and money.
Lombardi dismissed as “pure fantasy” such a rash of unsourced reports about the investigation in the Italian media, which have been in a frenzy ever since reports of Gabriele’s detention emerged Friday."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Sounds like the Vatican Curia is in free fall. I wonder if Vatican authorities in the Detention Center used any "enhanced means" to help Gabriele, the butler became "serene!"
Do you believe that there is no cardinal lurking behind the Monsignors Mutiny debacle?
One gets the sense that there is much more to come from the unnamed mole.
Hollywood producers, Vati leaks has provided the plot, prepare yourself now for a possible blockbuster movie next season! Get your cameras rolling!
One could say that the Vatican is the gift that keeps on giving. This has been the case for the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement. In June we celebrate our tenth anniversary. In 2002, seven women were ordained, now we have around 130 serving inclusive,diverse, justice-seeking communities in Europe, North and South America. We owe much of our growth to the media coverage that has come from Vatican excommunication and the bishops condemnation. Check out the documentary about our women priests movement produced by Jules Hart, "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican." (amazon.com)
It is time to return to the earlier model of the people in the local communities electing their bishops and a process that would involve the people of God in the selection of the pope as a point of unity, not as the big boss of the Catholic Church! We need a more circular, participatory and transparent model of governance in the Catholic Church. The Old Boys' Network has messed up big time this time!
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
www.arcwp.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Gabriele, the pope’s personal butler since 2006, was arrested Wednesday evening after Holy See documents were found inside his Vatican City apartment, adding a Hollywood twist to the already sordid “Vatileaks” scandal. He remains in custody in a Vatican detention facility, accused of theft, and has met with his wife and lawyers.
Gabriele’s lawyer, Carlo Fusco, said Monday his client was “very serene and calm,” despite the whirlwind of speculation surrounding his arrest. He said Gabriele himself had told the Vatican judge investigating the case that he would “respond to all the questions and will collaborate with investigators to ascertain the truth.”
Italian media reported Monday that a cardinal is suspected of playing a major role in the scandal. However, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, denied the reports categorically. He said many Vatican officials were being questioned but insisted “there is no cardinal under suspicion.”
But Lombardi acknowledged that the investigation continues.
And on Monday, Italian daily La Repubblica published a rambling interview with what it described as another Vatican “mole,” someone who described the various agendas at play behind the leaks.
The unnamed leaker said the aim was to show how weak Pope Benedict XVI is, the fears of his secretary of state, and to make clear that the “fundamental role of the church is to defend the Gospel, not accumulate power and money.
Lombardi dismissed as “pure fantasy” such a rash of unsourced reports about the investigation in the Italian media, which have been in a frenzy ever since reports of Gabriele’s detention emerged Friday."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Sounds like the Vatican Curia is in free fall. I wonder if Vatican authorities in the Detention Center used any "enhanced means" to help Gabriele, the butler became "serene!"
Do you believe that there is no cardinal lurking behind the Monsignors Mutiny debacle?
One gets the sense that there is much more to come from the unnamed mole.
Hollywood producers, Vati leaks has provided the plot, prepare yourself now for a possible blockbuster movie next season! Get your cameras rolling!
One could say that the Vatican is the gift that keeps on giving. This has been the case for the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement. In June we celebrate our tenth anniversary. In 2002, seven women were ordained, now we have around 130 serving inclusive,diverse, justice-seeking communities in Europe, North and South America. We owe much of our growth to the media coverage that has come from Vatican excommunication and the bishops condemnation. Check out the documentary about our women priests movement produced by Jules Hart, "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican." (amazon.com)
It is time to return to the earlier model of the people in the local communities electing their bishops and a process that would involve the people of God in the selection of the pope as a point of unity, not as the big boss of the Catholic Church! We need a more circular, participatory and transparent model of governance in the Catholic Church. The Old Boys' Network has messed up big time this time!
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
www.arcwp.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
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