Michael Brendan Dougherty
Source: Business Insider
May 27, 2012, 5:29 AM
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The Pope’s personal butler, Paolo Gabriele, 46 was arrested last week in connection with the leaking of letters from the Vatican, including many personal ones to and from Pope Benedict himself.
The story has all the elements of a punchline, or a 19th century potboiler. A butler being held in the Vatican’s own rarely-used jail, spying on the Holy Father.
The truth can be better than fiction and it usually is.
But there is something a little off about this story – at least to this Vatican-watcher.
Some of the leaked letters have exposed embarrassing mismanagement at Vatican palace, and enormous power struggles, and they are being published in a book in Italy later this month.
This arrest comes during the same week that the Vatican dismissed the head of its own bank, Gotti Tedeschi, after a no confidence vote. Tedeschi was suspected of money-laundering and mismanagement. The leaked letters seem to have moved Vatican officials to act more quickly.
Earlier this year, it was reported that the leaked letters contained the correspondence of a prelate, Carlo Maria Vigano, working in Rome who told the Holy Father about corruption in the Vatican’s money-management. Vigano pleaded with Benedict to hold onto his post so that he could continue the Holy Father’s mission of cleaning house, but Vigano was transferred to the States at the Holy Father’s diplomatic representative.
However, there is something about this story that makes little sense. Gabriele is the guy who helps the Pope get dressed, and handles things in the papal apartment. He was also appointed to his role under John Paul II. He absolutely would have access to some of the letters that have been leaked.
But many of the leaks out of the Vatican over the past two years have not been of personal letters to and from the pope, they’ve been out of the offices of the Vatican’s secretary of state. There is not a chance that Gabriele could have access to them.
It would be as if the Obama’s personal babysitter suddenly got access to files at the Pentagon. The butler may be guilty. And he may be the one chiefly responsible for the letters published later this month.
But it just isn’t plausible that he is the only leaker. The most humiliating leaks have come from inside the curial offices, that is from another high-ranking Cardinal. Perhaps someone who could even become the next Pope.
Correction: An earlier version of the article incorrectly referred to Carlo Vigana as an American, he is Italian.
Methinks disclosure happens.
That pope has always creeped me out. He literally looks evil
That peircing stare is not my idea of what a spiritual person looks like.
I agree, White Feather. VERY different than the last pope.
This is an excellent talk on the Synagoge of Satan and the communist agenda.
The free book can be found there also.
Remember the 4 Vatican bankers that were arrested too. The Vatican bank is not really a normal bank………….hummm what is it?
My initial intuitive hit was that he was a scapegoat. I have absolutely no idea if that is true or not, but something didn’t set well with me about this story either. ?
I also thought he might be a distraction – Hugs, ~Jean
Yes, that’s a possiblity too, Jean.
Until six months ago, I was not fully aware of the Vatican and its status as a COUNTRY in a country… All the images portrayed to the sheeple is that the Vatican is a Holly Place for Christians!
Now I realise that this place should be EXTERMINATED (erased from the surface of the earth) by the real followers of JESUS. This place is the Mother of all EVIL & the World, HUMANs will be much much better off without this sick & criminal control of the Mother Erath.
Then you have The City of London, in London but is seperate from England and you have Washington D.C. seperate from the United States. A religon center, a Banking center, (city of London) and a military center, (pentagon). And who is in control of these three enities?
Good questions.
We must continue to pray for our Holy Father and the Church.