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Vatileaks: Pope's 'sadness' at leaks Vatileaks: pope expresses 'sadness' over affair
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The Pope has broken his silence over the leaked documents scandal that has convulsed the Vatican, saying he was saddened by the betrayal but grateful to those aides who worked faithfully and in silence to help him do his job.The Pope has broken his silence over the leaked documents scandal that has convulsed the Vatican, saying he was saddened by the betrayal but grateful to those aides who worked faithfully and in silence to help him do his job.
Benedict made his first direct comments on the scandal in off-the-cuff remarks at the end of his weekly general audience on Wednesday. He lashed out at some of the media reports about the scandal, saying the "exaggerated" and "gratuitous" rumours had offered a false image of the Vatican. Pope Benedict made his first direct comments on the scandal in off-the-cuff remarks at the end of his weekly general audience on Wednesday. He attacked some of the media reports about the scandal, saying the "exaggerated" and "gratuitous" rumours had offered a false image of the Vatican.
The Italian media have been in a frenzy ever since the pope's butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested last week after Vatican investigators discovered papal documents in his Vatican City flat. He remains in detention and has pledged to co-operate fully with the investigation.The Italian media have been in a frenzy ever since the pope's butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested last week after Vatican investigators discovered papal documents in his Vatican City flat. He remains in detention and has pledged to co-operate fully with the investigation.
Rumours have been flying in the press about cardinals possibly implicated in the inquiry, pending resignations and details of the investigation that even Gabriele's lawyers say they have not heard. The Vatican spokesman has spent much of his daily briefings in recent days shooting down the various reports. Rumours have been flying in the press about cardinals possibly implicated in the inquiry, pending resignations and details of the investigation that even Gabriele's lawyers say they have not heard. The Vatican spokesman has spent much of his daily briefings in recent days batting down the various reports.
The scandal represents one of the greatest breaches of trust and security for the Vatican in recent memory given that a significant number of documents from the pope's own desk were leaked to an investigative journalist. The Vatican has denounced the leaks as criminal and immoral and has opened a three-pronged investigation to get to the bottom of who was responsible. The scandal represents one of the greatest breaches of trust and security for the Vatican in recent memory given that a significant number of documents from the pope's own desk were leaked to an investigative journalist. The Vatican has denounced the leaks as criminal and immoral and has opened a three-pronged investigation.
"The events of recent days about the Curia [the government of the Catholic church] and my collaborators have brought sadness in my heart," Benedict said at the end of his audience. But he added: "I want to renew my trust in and encouragement of my closest collaborators and all those who every day, with loyalty and a spirit of sacrifice and in silence, help me fulfil my ministry." "The events of recent days about the Curia [the government of the Catholic church] and my collaborators have brought sadness in my heart," the pope said at the end of his audience. But he added: "I want to renew my trust in and encouragement of my closest collaborators and all those who every day, with loyalty and a spirit of sacrifice and in silence, help me fulfil my ministry."
Few people think Gabriele worked alone, and his promise to co-operate with the investigation has fuelled speculation that others might be arrested soon.Few people think Gabriele worked alone, and his promise to co-operate with the investigation has fuelled speculation that others might be arrested soon.
The motivations for the leaks remain unclear: some commentators say they appear designed to discredit Benedict's deputy, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Others say they are aimed at undermining the Vatican's efforts to become more financially transparent. As an employee, citizen and resident of the Vatican city state, Gabriele is being held by Vatican police, who have accused him of stealing the pope's personal papers in a breach of trust. The motivations for the leaks remain unclear: some commentators say they appear designed to discredit the pope's deputy, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Others say they are aimed at undermining the Vatican's efforts to become more financially transparent. As an employee, citizen and resident of the Vatican city state, Gabriele is being held by Vatican police, who have accused him of stealing the pope's personal papers in a breach of trust.
The scandal broke in January when the Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi revealed letters from a former top Vatican administrator who begged the pope not to transfer him for having exposed alleged corruption that cost the papacy millions of euros in higher contract prices. The prelate, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, is now the papal nuncio to the US.The scandal broke in January when the Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi revealed letters from a former top Vatican administrator who begged the pope not to transfer him for having exposed alleged corruption that cost the papacy millions of euros in higher contract prices. The prelate, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, is now the papal nuncio to the US.
The scandal widened over the following months with documents leaked to Italian journalists that laid bare power struggles inside the Vatican over its efforts to show greater financial transparency and comply with international norms to fight money laundering. There was even a leak of a memo claiming that Benedict would die this year. The scandal widened over the following months with documents leaked to Italian journalists that revealed power struggles inside the Vatican over efforts to show greater financial transparency and comply with international norms to fight money laundering. There was even a leak of a memo claiming that Pope Benedict would die this year.
The crisis reached a peak last weekend, when Nuzzi published an entire book based on a trove of new documentation, including personal correspondence to and from the pope and his private secretary, much of which paints Bertone in a negative light. The crisis reached a peak last weekend, when Nuzzi published a book based on new documentation, including personal correspondence to and from the pope and his private secretary, much of which paints Bertone in a negative light.
The Vatican has warned of legal action for those who stole, received and disseminated the documents. Nuzzi, who in 2009 published a book on leaked documents from the Vatican bank, has justified the publication as an act of transparency and says there is not a word against the pope or the church in the book.The Vatican has warned of legal action for those who stole, received and disseminated the documents. Nuzzi, who in 2009 published a book on leaked documents from the Vatican bank, has justified the publication as an act of transparency and says there is not a word against the pope or the church in the book.