-255x255.jpg "Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi")
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican’s law enforcement bureau arrested Pope Benedict XVI’s butler, Paolo Gabriele, on suspicion of leaking a series of confidential Vatican documents and letters to the media.
The Holy See Press Office's director, Father Federico Lombardi, told reporters May 25 that investigations initiated by Vatican police to discover the source of the leaks have identified a person “in illegal possession of such material.” Independent Vatican reports confirmed it was Gabriele.
A series of confidential documents and letters began appearing in the Italian media at the beginning of the year, each describing alleged corruption, mismanagement and internal conflicts within the Holy See.
One contained personal letters to Pope Benedict XVI alleging corruption and written last year by the current apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, when he was deputy head of Vatican city state. The allegations of mismanagement and cronyism were firmly denied by Archbishop Viganò’s superior at the time, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo.
Gabriele is being held for further questioning.
The Italian news agency AGI claimed that “a large number of confidential documents” were found in a Vatican apartment close to the Vatican walls where Gabriele lives with his wife and three children. The butler, thought to be in his early 40s, has worked as a member of the Pontifical Family since 2006, having previously served under American Archbishop James Harvey in the Pontifical Household.
Father Lombardi stressed to the Register that he “did not mention any names” in his statement to reporters earlier today, but reiterated that “he is under arrest, and he is not an ecclesiastic.”
If charged, the suspect will be subject to three sets of proceedings and appear before the Apostolic Tribunal — something that has not happened for many years, according to canon lawyers.
The Italian daily newspaper Il Foglio, which was the first to reveal Gabriele as the suspect, reported this afternoon that “many authoritative Vatican representatives” have said his arrest was “implausible,” given that he is known to be a man of faith and has a devotion to St. Faustina Kowalska. The paper therefore asserted he was probably a scapegoat. But AGI reported his arrest “would not have been made lightly,” given that he belongs to the Pope’s inner circle.
The suspect was arrested May 23 on the instructions of the Commission of Cardinals set up to discover the person responsible, under the direction of a “Promoter of Justice.”
The commission, made up of three retired cardinals — Julian Herranz, Josef Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi — was established by Pope Benedict in the wake of recent leaks of reserved and confidential documents on television, in newspapers and in other communications media.
The investigations were given added urgency after excerpts of further revelations appeared in a supplement of the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera last week. In response, the Vatican issued a statement May 19 saying the leaking of the latest documents “no longer appears as a questionable — though obviously defamatory — journalistic initiative, but clearly assumes the characteristics of a criminal act.”
The statement added that the Holy See would take the necessary steps to ensure that those responsible “answer to justice for their acts.”
The excerpts in question were taken from His Holiness, a new book by Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, which contains confidential documents and private letters to the Pope, as well as details of internal Vatican conflicts. In particular, it contains confidential documents on the management of the Institute for Works of Religion, better known as the Vatican Bank.
News of the arrest comes just a day after the president of the Vatican Bank, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, was ousted by its supervisory board in a vote of no confidence. The official reason for his departure was his failure to fulfill the “primary functions of his office,” but according to reports in the Italian media, again citing “well-informed sources,” the Italian financier was also suspected of being involved in the leaking of the documents.
The Vatican said it was “saddened by the events which led to this vote of no confidence,” but added that it believes the action was “important in order to maintain the vitality of the institute.”
Observers noticed the statement did not contain any word of thanks to Gotti Tedeschi, who had served as president of the Vatican Bank since 2009.
Under Pope Benedict’s instruction, he was reportedly engaged in making the institute’s finances more transparent so they could come in line with international rules against money-laundering.
In comments to the Register, Father Lombardi stressed he had “not made any connection” between the leaks and Gotti Tedeschi and that “these situations are entirely different.”
Edward Pentin is the Register’s Rome correspondent.
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This is astonishing. It resembles a detectives novel. We all knew that the criminal was the butler!
The butler did it? For real. Truth is stranger than fiction.
That was the first thing I thought! The butler did it!
Just more ammo for the media and enemies of the church. Whenever there is evidence of corruption (and there will be since we are all human and subject to temptation) and church leaders attempt to address the problem, the media will focus on it to titillate their readers. Let us hope that Mr. Tedeschi is not guilty and that this investigation leads to those who are.
There has always been a certain amount of plotting and intrigue within the Vatican walls. I can’t help but think, however, that the Holy Father would do himself a big favor if he took away the deanship from Cardinal Sodano, and quickly and severely dealt with any cardinal who would attempt to usurp the authority of Peter. Plotting cardinals can hurt a pope badly, but a pope can take away red hats, thereby reducing the threat. I doubt that any cardinal wants to be known worldwide as a “former” cardinal.
oh he should be ashamed of himself!!! when one gives you full trust and you break that trust, you not only have just become one who cannot be relied upon and a traitor, but have closed all doors of compassion, reliance, and confidentiality - in spite of what has happened, is happening or will happen in the Vatican, this is NOT the way to handle it -NOT WITH BETRAYAL - this is worst than having to face an assassin…at least you know who is doing it…but to have someone steal behind your back while posing as a good worker-person-friend and sell the stolen private information for gain…...that is absolutely horrible - the Holy See fully trusted paolo gabriele and paolo gabriele broke that trust entirely
Whatever problems there are in the Vatican, it is NOT the job of a butler to make decisions as to how/what to do -
I am thankful that he has been arrested and hopefully the Vatican can continue to take care of Itself without the interference of outsiders who want to destroy our Church
Ultimately, we can only pray for all involved as we are called to do in JESUS name
If only the Vatican acted so aggressively
To halt the molestation of children!
Satan has his hand puppets every where.
Is any of this related to Glenn Beck’s assertions about enemies of Pope Benedict inside the Vatican itself, or his assertions that the Obama Administration is somehow trying to take over the Vatican Bank? The Beck video has been on YouTube.
Hahaha, the Butler did it! Truth is stranger than fiction.
I have no comment to make.
But I am mystified that my name as given above and my e-mail address should appear so often when only once in my life have I used this facility and then only to support your own appeal that ‘commentators’ abide by your own three rules of courtesy and charity in the writing of comments.
Richard McCullen CM
I’m a Catholic convert that battled my non-Catholic mother, when I made the decision that nearly tore apart my family, with my brother and father supporting me, my mother not understanding why I became Catholic.
These news stories are one-two punches for me now. I brace myself, when I read about Rome. My mother will remind me that St. Peter had no butler to pour his wine for him. A secretary, I can understand. But a “butler”?
The New York Times reported this story too, mentioning the tomb of a gangster was opened last week, allowing officials to search for the body of the 15 year old girl, missing for 30 years.
Yesterday, according to Fr. Gabriel Amorth, Vatican exorcist, the girl participated in “Vatican sex parties” and associated with drug dealers, causing an untimely death. Has the NC Register reported about Fr. Amorth’s comment? It shocked me to know it was going on in the Vatican and 30 years ago. Why did no one say anything before now?
BBC reports the tomb was of a known gangster whose family paid $600,000 to the Vatican, so he could be buried in a special church. Further, the Vatican bank official got a ‘no confidence’ vote.
Between all of this and last week’s news about Legionaries of Christ officials knowing a priest fathered a child prior to 2005, yet allowed him to teach morals and be a media hero for them, it’s beyond the pale.
I’m speachless. I will have to face my mother over the Memorial Day holiday too. I dread it. Yet, truth must come out. Awful as it is, even Rome must be put in the light. It cannot be business as usual, especially if business is like it was 30 years ago. Drugs? Murders?
Is anyone else hurting? Does anyone else think there needs to be accountability? BBC reported the Vatican is paying a settlement of $300 million regarding their Vatican Bank, but they do not admit any errors. Only two comments about this article?
For Juda betrayed Jesus> as we know from scripture for if Gabriele is guilty he will confess with every fiber of his being> for the Holy Spirit is Judge and he will willingly confess.
I have 2 questions concerning the Vatican Bank :
Is there really a need for the Holy See to have a bank?
As long as the “Vatican Bank” does not need to be bailed out like others, is there really any concern?
Only once in my life did I submit a comment pleading for respect for your own three guide-lines for ‘commentators. So I am puzzled that my e-mail address and my user name appear so often in your’Post a Comment’ section.
Yours in the Lord
risteard12
I am wondering where those independent Vatican sources got their information.
Why is this important? Why report tis at all?
The statement added that the Holy See would take the necessary steps to ensure that those responsible “answer to justice for their acts.”
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It is astonishing that no one here sees the irony in this. Instead we get the usual excuses: The butler is “...not an ecclesiastic,” probably a scapegoat, and is accused of leaking facts. He will be subject to an Apostolic Tribunal and, if found “guilty,” will most likely be excommunicated by the Pope himself.
.
It’s not a detective novel—it is a farce.
If (and that’s a big if?) this is a reliable source and an accurate story… then this is a *very* interesting and potentially explosive interview:
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2012/05/28/news/intervista_ansaldo_english_version-36076134/?ref=HRER1-1
Perception is not reality, when it comes to the Catholic Church. What goes on behnd the scenes is rivoting. Pope Benedict is maneuvered and handled. His visits to Mexico and Cuba in the face of our HHS Mandate crisis in the U.S.A is a down right disgrace. His alliance with the environmental pagans is very unpapal. Pope Benedict offers weak lip service and non action to the pro-life movement. The CCB placed us catholics in the hell pit we are in by voting and bargaining with the Planned Parenthoood President. The “boards of trustees” throughout “catholic” planet earth are the movers and the shakers. The man in the traditional priestly garb is the show room leader with little or no power. We catholics sit almost helplessly on the sidelines watching, as are church hierarchy decays away with the death of the west. YES, the gates of hell, ULTIMATELY, willl not prevail against us, yet the path before that day is ours in the making. The boards of trustees in many of the cathoic institutions throughout planet earth, make decisions to the god of political expediency and money. The Holy Trinity, the Bible, the Ten Commamnments, the Magisterium are minor factors only to be considered and largely ignored. The rule of thumb for the “catholic” power brokers is, be the least catholic you can get away with so as not to lose the base and our 501(c)(3). The Kennedy,Cuomo,Kerry,Biden,Pelosi,Matthews Judas Catholics have convinced an entire generation that is ok to be Pro-Choice and still call yourself catholic. I’m sure gay marriage will be added to the “social justice” corruption package sold and accepted by the catholic numb nuts. The Judas Catholics’ definition of being pro-life is not actually/physically being part of an abortion. Do not worry about voting pro-life. It is only one issue among many. The sleeping Catholics Bears have awakened and we are going to call you out on a daily basis. Our donations will send a clear and convincing message whether or not you pass the Catholic litmus test. The Judas Universities such as Notre Dame, Georgetown, DePaul, et.als. and all the other Judas Schools that accept the “30 pieces of silver” at commencement and on a regular basis will be called out, identified and placed on the Fallen from Grace list. Wake Up Catholics, call them out and do not stand for it. GOD deserves better. Give your precious few dollars to the authentically catholic institutions ONLY. Woe to you, succesors of Peter, Nov. 2012 is your last chance to vote out the PPP and SOS. Christi Fidelis ! Print, Think, Respond-DO NOT CENSOR
Terah James, I understand your pain. But I think you can tell your mother that all churches have sinners in them. It is just that the RC church is very high profile, so its sinners make international news, while a Methodist or Baptist official who skimmed a little money from the church treasury would make only very local news if caught.
If your mother is a Protestant, she will understand that human beings are all sinners.
I know it hurts when people high up in the Church turn out to be weak or even, like the head of the Legion of Christ, wicked. But if you look at the history of the Church, this has pretty much always been the case. The corruption of the best is the worst, or “Lilies that fester smell much worse than weeds.” Those who are given grace and turn from it can fall very far. But, we also have great saints! I hope you will get past this painful moment and continue to love the Church. Good luck with your mother. Don’t forget to pray for her, that God will bring about her good as He knows it. Having done that will help when you talk to her.
In Christ,
Susan PEterson
The pope spoke strongly, the word used in the news report I read was angrily today, at the end of his Wednesday audience, shall watch it tomight on EWTN. He denies the substance of the story.
Susan Peterson - thank you for your kindness. Memorial Day went better than I thought. Perhaps because there was just too much news over the past week. So it was overwhelming for everyone, and we just partied, enjoying the day together. Yes, I do pray- for our country, our states, cities and our families, to return to God with our hearts and our minds. Your post of encouragement was much appreciated, arriving at the perfect time too! Thank you.
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