Showing posts with label Secretary of State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Secretary of State. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The "Luxury Residence" of Cardinal Bertone -- One of the Media Campaigns Against Pope Benedict's Secretary of State?

(Vatican) Catholic  media itself  has been grazing  in the field of moral sanctimony against the former Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. He has created a "luxury apartment" of 600 or 700 square meters through extensive renovations. Pope Francis disapproves this luxury. And many Catholics believe  the media at the touch of the button whatever is put before them.
Now the Salesian Bertone could actually make one a lot better. But that was  not for the years of scolding that made hardly any good to say about the son of Don Bosco. Almost always, when there were attacks anywhere from within the Church against Bertone, it  was mostly mean for Pope Benedict XVI.. Calling him by name was avoided for reasons of expediency.    It was directed to the Cardinal Secretary of State, if only because he also synonymous with the  long odious Roman Curia, led to the  bashing being more uninhibited. It was not always wrong, but in the sum highly disproportionate.

The Jacobin flail it Afflicts Those Representatives of the Church,  That Didn't Dance in the Rio  Flash Mob 

The Jacobin flail was not put away after the resignation of Benedict.  More than a year after the election of Pope Francis Bertone himself is being called upon to contrast between a supposedly "dark" past and now a radiant present of the papacy and the Church in memory. A kind of perpetuation of the same propaganda. Here Pope Francis made known the dismissal of Bertone last year by the Vatican diplomat  Archbishop Pietro Parolin. According to the methods of the Jacobi only certain high church officials are neatly pelted with dirt. Amazingly, it was precisely those that were not ready in Rio de Janeiro to dance the bishop flash mob dance  and thus presented proof, nor to sell their priestly and episcopal dignity in such a clownish way for the amusement of the world.

Scandal Headlines: 600 m² "Luxury Apartment" for Cardinal Bertone

Now Bertone has been  placed in the  pillory for the last few weeks because of an alleged "luxury residence". The former Cardinal Secretary of State had put together several existing apartments in the Vatican in order to make an  extensive, costly reconstruction work. 600 square meters of living space and 100 square meters of terrace. This is a scandal and in addition, a provocation, because Bertone has his new "palace" refers directly next to the guesthouse Santa Marta, where Pope Francis occupies an apartment of less than 100 square meters. The press is underlining the stark contrast between the luxury of pre-Francis-time and the sober modesty of Pope Francis.
The "scandal" was unleased by  the Italian anti-Catholic tabloid Il Fatto Quotidiano . It  drew attention to no less anti-clerical newspaper than La Repubblica last April 20, for international attention.  Cardinal Bertone's reaction was even more late. Which again, is, however, not entirely his fault. Such delays unfortunately were several times a feature of his tenure as Cardinal Secretary of State to the detriment of Pope Benedict XVI. What  Pope Francis  makes too much of in the way of public relations today in their own right, was completely lacked both Pope Benedict XVI. and Bertone. 

Assigned Apartment is Actually Half the Size

The "luxury residence" is quite a canard, in reality. Bertone occupies a space assigned according to his age in office within the Vatican walls. It is a part of one floor in the old Palazzo San Carlo. The rooms are by today's standards  particularly  large, but also not a number of rooms. This all sounds great, but is not very practical. Overall, the former Secretary of State lives in a apartment that is just half as large as that claimed by media, namely 300 square meters. There, he and four members of staff, a secretary and three nuns are housed. In the apartment there is also the study of the Cardinal. The financing of the renovation work organized by the Cardinal himself.   He owns nothing as a religious.

It's Not About Facts, but About Moral Discrediting

The comparison with Pope Francis in Santa Marta is lagging in several ways, starting with the smaller space layout of the guest house. The comparison was made by certain media only to stage a contrived contrast between luxury and modesty, between rich and poor, between good and evil, between Benedict XVI. and Francis. While Il Fatto Quotidiano  still insisted after its first report knew to  present Bertone's higher "luxury" "angering" Pope Francis,  to present the Cardinal  now in a letter to two church newspapers that he had been called by Pope Francis to explain this to him in solidarity. The Pope has shown his disappointment over the media campaign against the former Cardinal Secretary of State.

Vatican Spokesman Asked Unsuccessfully for Official Correction

However, it goes for  Bertone's part also that the Cardinal had asked the Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi several times in vain for an official correction of the incorrect media reports.
The appointment of the Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone has never been accepted by his predecessor, Cardinal Angelo Sodano. In protest, that the German Pope did not assign one of his diplomats to the highest Curia Office, Cardinal Sodano  did not leave his residence until the end of 2007, more than a year after being replaced by Bertone, the official residence of the Cardinal Secretary of State at the Vatican. For that reason Bertone was only able to move  in much later.  This affront, who was made by  the elegant but relentless opponent Bertone Sodano, was the real reason for the ever-changing public attacks on Bertone through the targeted dissemination of true, half-true and false information.
One reason why the public relations during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. never really worked well. If there was trouble, as in the Williamson case, where there is a persistent rumor in Rome that some Church circles that they intentionally let the German pope  run into the knife, ultimately Bertone was held responsible. But now  others are  throwing a wrench in the gears.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: screenshot of Google Infovaticana

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Aberrosexual "Secret Society" in the Vatican? Colonel Elmar Mäder Describes Security Risk

(Vatican) The gay lobby outside and inside the Vatican is getting the headlines again. On 6 June 2013 it was Pope Francis himself who spoke of a homo-lobby in the Vatican. Now it is the retired Colonel Elmar Mäder, who was the commander of the Swiss Guard from 2002 to 2008.
In June of the previous year Pope Francis received the board members of the Latin American and Caribbean Conference of Religious CLAR  in audience. From participants a memory log of the Pope's statements was published subsequently without consultation.
"And, yes .. it is difficult. In the curia there are also holy men, really, there are holy people. There is talk of a gay lobby, and it's true, it's there ... We have to see what we can do. Pray for me ... that I should make as few mistakes as possible. "

"Homo network in the Vatican"

Last Sunday the article appeared in the weekly newspaper  Switzerland on Sunday,  "Ex-Guard Chief Warns of a Secret Society." This contained the published testimony of the former Guards Commandant Elmar Mäder.  The 51-year-old Mäder knows the Vatica very well. Initially he was four years from 1998, the Vice-Commander, then six years commander of the Swiss Guard. The scandal and horror stories that are often told about the Vatican, he denied: these "cock and bull stories obviously lack any factual basis." The existence of a homo-lobby in the Vatican, he does not deny, however: "The claim that there is a gay network, I can not refute. My experience speaks for the existence of such."
From Mäder is said that he expressly warned his young guards against certain clergy and intervened against homo-machinations directly and in writing to the Curia. This had contributed to his departure as a commander.[!]
"To work in an environment where the large majority of men are unmarried is, per se, a magnet for homosexuals, whether they seek consciously or unconsciously to follow an urge,"   said Switzerland on Sunday  citing the Colonel. "The Roman Curia is certainly the type of such an environment. Just as it comes as little surprise that pedophiles can be found in many   environments with children such as schools or sports clubs," says Maeder.

"Gay Lobby" as a "Secret Society"

The former Guard Commander sees the existence of the homo lobby in the Vatican as a danger to the security of the Pope. "I have also learned that many homosexuals tend to be more loyal to each other than to other persons or institutions. If this loyalty goes so far that it is a network or even a kind of secret society, I would not tolerate it in my area of responsibility. In the Vatican,  people who make decisions now seem to think alike."
Had Pope Francis spoken of a "gay lobby",  Colonel Mäder speaks of a homosexual "secret society".
Maeder's statements are consistent with those of a former Swiss guard in the previous week in Switzerland on Sunday of having reported experiencing personally  overtures by a representative of the State Secretariat and a Cardinal years ago.
The spokesman of the Swiss Guard, Urs Breitenmoser, tried to smooth the waves in a first reaction   after  Mäder's statements: "votes on a homo-network in the Vatican are not our problem. The concerns of our men are exclusively of a religious and military nature. "

Round-Up of Aberrosexual-associations Against Colonel Mäder

Mäder's statements caused  homo-associations to a gather in a sweeping blow to the plan, they polemicized against the former Guards Commander. Except for provocations and propaganda, however, little was heard.  In a flood of words, the homosexuals categorically stifled all objections as victims of  "homophobes". The Chairman of the homo-association Equality compared Mäder's statements about homosexuals to the Nazi persecution of Jews and accused Mäder of being "homophobic" like  Russia's President  Vladimir Putin.
The key question remains: What's with this gay lobby in the Vatican itself? Their existence was confirmed by the words of Pope Francis from the highest authority. Colonel Mäder speaks of a "danger" and "security risk".

Pope Francis: "Gay Lobby" Ricca-appointment, Controversial Statement on Homosexuality

Just a few days after the encounter with the CLAR representatives Pope Francis appointed Msgr. Battista Ricca, the Director of the guest house Santa Marta, his personal representative and House Prelate of the Vatican bank IOR. The  pederastic [One of his victims was an underage prostitute. This is invariably overlooked.] past of the Monsignor was uncovered by Sandro Magister. Nevertheless, Pope Francis never wavered on the appointment.

But there were more problems for Ricca when he was attacked in a cruising ground that year, and soon after firemen had to rescue him from a broken lift, in which he was trapped with a youth [!] known by local police. The weekly news magazine L’Espresso claims that Msgr Ricca was able to get the position as IoR prelate because the supposedly powerful “gay lobby” in the Vatican airbrushed his colourful CV.
On the flight back from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro Pope Francis was asked about his statement about the existence of a homo-lobby. The Pope then tried to downplay his statement without taking it back. He differentiated between homosexuals and the lobby. Among the homosexuals, it fell apparently  to refer to  Msgr Ricca, without mentioning him by name, with the controversial sentence: "Who am I to judge him."  The gay lobby, however, he condemned. However, only because it was a  lobby since the formation of lobbies is "always bad".
When visiting the Salesian parish of Sacred Heart in Rome   Pope Francis assured on Sunday: "He will also forgive sins even those which it would require trucks to transport them. But if we do not call the wounds by name, they can not heal. "
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: tempos / Wikicommons
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMGD

Friday, November 15, 2013

Secretary of State Parolin Takes Office -- Living in Domus Santa Marta with Pope Francis



(Vatican) Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the new Secretary of State unless there should be any additional, unexpected delays, Archbishop Pietro Parolin will take up his new position as Secretary of State in full tomorrow, Saturday.

On 31 August, the former Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela was appointed by Pope Francis at the head of the Roman Curia. He succeeds Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone after which on 15 October he is separated from office. On that day, Archbishop Parolin was originally supposed to take office. It has become necessary, however, because of a surgical procedure to delay his arrival in office. However, the Archbishop wanted the operation to be carried out before starting his new job in order to later avoid a prolonged absence in office.

The new Secretary of State is in the guesthouse just as Francis Pope in the Vatican, in the Domus Sanctae Marthae to set up his new quarters. At present this means that the residence of the Secretary of State next to the offices of the Secretary of State, are currently inhabited by Cardinal Bertone. Meanwhile, the new home office as President of the Supervisory Commission of Cardinals Vatican bank IOR is not finished yet. Secondly, Pope Francis seems to wish that his closest associates also stay closer to him. It is therefore possible that the current situation of the Secretary is also provisional.

Archbishop Parolin might, as Secretary of State, together with Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the Prefect of the Congregation are on the top of the list of new cardinals to be named. Pope Francis will convene the first extraordinary consistory of his pontificate for February 22nd. A comparison with the heads of state and government bodies of other states is difficult, but perhaps easier to understand. The Catholic Office of the Secretary of State can be compared with that of a chancellor or prime minister. The "ministers" that preside in the Roman Curia like the Prefect of a Congregation or as a President of a Pontifical Council are not the chancellors, but subject to directives from the Pope, who is also head of state. The Office of the Secretaries of Roman Dicastries are the equivalent of the deputy "Minister" and thus what is known in secular governments "Secretary of State".

Text: Giuseppe Nardi Image: Vatican Insider Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com Link to katholisches... AMGD

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Pope Francis Celebrates Surprise "ad Deum" Mass --- Greeting From Secretary of State Parolin?



(Vatican) Francis Pope celebrated a surprise Holy Mass last Thursday over the grave of Pope John Paul II, which has drawn some attention. The Pope has celebrated ad Deum for the first time.

The celebration was held in the side chapel of St. Peter's Basilica, in which the body of John Paul II was reburied after his beatification, from the Crypt of the Popes below the main nave. There's no people's altar in the side chape. Such, however, Pope Francis could have been put back as easily as he had placed it in the Sistine Chapel, when he celebrated on the day after his election for the cardinals gathered for his first Mass as pope.

Attention was paid to the direciton of celebration because Pope Francis, when compared to his predecessor Benedict XVI., is considered little sensitive to liturgy and looks with some distrust on the part of the Church, which is committed to the traditional liturgy and tradition.

At the celebration is ad Deum completely normal for all Privatzelebrationen in St. Peter's Basilica, which take place on the side altars. The clothing of his concelebrants leads to a lack of liturgical sensibility open mind. "The act of the pope is neither blatantly something special. And yet it is of importance. If he does not ad Deum would want to celebrate, a word from him would have been enough to get put down a table, forgiveness, a refectory. So we consider it merit and as a gesture of good will," said Messa in Latino.

The Spanish Catholic Church historian and blogger Francisco de la Cigoña wonders if it is a signal to the traditionalists. The gesture would be, says de la Cigoña, in continuity with the greeting message to the Second International Pilgrimage to Rome, which had its culmination in the Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite in St. Peter on October 26th.

De la Cigoña was astonished here that the greeting message was signed by the new Secretary of State, Curial Archbishop Pietro Parolin on behalf of the Pope, although he could not take possession of his post for health reasons. It's a sign that the offices of the State Secretariat to continue working in a familiar form, though the Church is currently without a Secretary of State. Monsignor Parolin is still for convalescence in his home in northern Italy. What appears so far is the first and only official act of Archbishop Parolin, it probably had been asked like this for by the Pope himself. Otherwise, the procedure is hardly explicable, says de la Cigoña.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: Messa in Latino / Osservatore Romano

Link katholisches... AMGD

Friday, August 30, 2013

Pope Francis Names Nuncio Pietro Parolin to Secretary of State -- A Few Days After ++Dolan's Criticism

(Vatican) Pope Francis has appointed Italian Archbishop Pietro Parolin, Vatican diplomat as the new Secretary of State. The decision has been made even if it has not yet officially been announced by the Vatican. Monsignor Parolin, currently Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela, will be the successor of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, whom Pope Benedict XVI. had appointed to the Secretary of State. At age 58, the diplomat from Veneto will soon belong to the youngest cardinals of the Catholic Church.

From 2002 to 2009, Monsignor Parolin was Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the State Secretariat of the Roman Curia. The career development shows that the Vatican diplomat comes from the school of former Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano and is close to him. His name was mentioned immediately after the election of Pope Francis among the possible candidates for the highest office in the Roman Curia behind the Pope.

The press agency of the U.S. Bishops Conference Catholic News Agency (CNA) had already reported in late June that Nuncio Parolin would succeed Cardinal Bertone in office and his appointment was predicted for those days ( see separate report ). It came to naught. For the time being. At the end of July the influential Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan unexpectedly issued a harsh criticism of Pope Francis ( see separate report). The main point of criticism was that he had not yet gotten to the appointment of a new Secretary of State. Cardinal Dolan criticized the new Pope in an abrupt tone a lack of "management" and "leadership". The cardinal said in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, is expected to have a change at the head of the Secretariat of State more concretely before the summer break. "I expect that after the summer break one or the other signal more in the direction of change in the administration." Shortly after the criticism of Cardinal found a wider audience, then the appointment of the Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela is to be number two in the Vatican, as it had already announced CNA one and a half months ago.

As Under Secretary, Monsignor Parolin was responsible for diplomatic negotiations between Israel and the Holy See, inter alia, by 2009. In 2011 the diplomate seemed to be the fifth proposed replacement for the Archdiocese of Milan, but did not reach the three proposed candidates. Benedict XVI. appointed Archbishop, the then Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Angelo Scola.

He was born on 17 January 1955 in Schiavon, Pietro Parolin was ordained a priest on 26 April 1980 of the Diocese of Vicenza. In 2009 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela, and thus in the active service in the Vatican diplomatic corps in this activity. At the same time, Pope Benedict XVI. appointed him Titular Archbishop of Aquipendium. His episcopal consecration was on 12 September 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. The diocese itself was established in 1649 in the Papal States Acquapendente (Lazio) and was thus abolished in 1986 by John Paul II, and was incorporated into the diocese of Viterbo. In 1991, was the first appointment of a titular bishop.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 Image: Settimo Cielo
Trans:  Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMGD

Holy Father recalls Dietrich von Hildebrand's Warning About False Irenicism.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Mysterious Staff of the Cardinal Chamberlain

During the sedevacant the Cardinal Chamberlain carries his own insignia.

Rome (kath.net/un) The photographs and video recordings of the closing of the papal apartments show Cardinal Chamberlain Tarcisio Bertone with a golden staff with dark red velour coating.  Upon his naming as Camerlengo of the Church, Cardinal Bertone was handed this staff with the following words:  “Accipe baculum in signup jurisdictions et auctoritatis.  In nominee Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen -- Take this staff as a sign of jurisdiction and authority.  In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

He entrusted the Cardinal Chamberlain immediately after this ceremony as his representative, the Vicechamberlain of the Roman Church.  During the lifetime of the Pope, the staff remains with the Vicecamerlego -- this stems from the time, when the worthies were in the office of the Governor of Rome and occupied a “bastone del governo” (Staff of Government).  The Cardinal Chamberlain takes the staff to himself when the Pope is dead or resigned.

At all important functions of the Sedivacant, beginning with the sealing of the Apostolic Palace, are his own.  So it can be said that he is entrusted with the worldly affairs of the Church during the time when there is no pope with a high decree of power.

kath.net...

Monday, May 21, 2012

Power Struggle in the Vatican -- Benedict XVI's Plan to Finish it -- New Secretary of State?


Edit: A book appearing in Italian has caused much disquiet in the Vatican and has angered Benedict XVI. Everything revolves upon the recent appearance of "Sua Santita" (Your Holiness) by Gianluigi Nuzzi. Within there are numerous letters direct from the Pope or his personal secretary Msgr Georg Gänswein, confidential letters. Regarding the breach of trust and the damage to the private sphere, it has infuriated the Pope. The Vatican announced last Saturday that it plans to proceed legally with respect of a "theft" and "receiving of stolen goods". Legal steps have already been considered both within and outside of the Vatican.

Code name "maria" -- behind the data leak in the staff surrounding Cardinal Sodano is suspected

The Journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi insists that "Maria" is his source. Behind the code name there are several personalities, who -- so says the author -- documents what the Vatican would have kept damned up, in order to bring the Church State's suppressed facts into the light.

What is sold to the public as a "noble deed" in the "struggle against dark powers" is seen quite differently in the Vatican. Behind the publication of the confidential documents is placed a power struggle of the old guard, who were in control before the appointment of the non-diplomat Cardinal Tarscio Bertone as Secretary of State. The main source for the data skimming are suspected to be associates of Bertone's predecessor Cardinal Sodano.

Bertone's Appointment was not Digested by the "Old Guard"

Cardinal Sodano originated in contrast too his successor from the renowned Diplomatic Academy in the Piazza Minerva in Rome. Not that Cardinal Sodano himself is to be considered as an initiator, very probably however, his closest associates. The public dissemination of the leaks has only one goal: to discredit the current occupant of the Cardinal Secretary and also to strike at Pope Benedict through that.

Many of the letters published in Nuzzi's book are top secret. The Secretary of the Pope will, after he has read them, then conduct them from the Papal residence to the Secretary of State. There someone intercepted them made photocopies and disseminated these. The leak has been looked for throughout the hierarchy of the Church State. The perpetrators or perpetrator had at least an intentional or unintentional cover. Only then will it be known how they moved about in the smallest city state in the world.

The Investigation Commission Reckons Quick Discovery

An ad hoc investigation commission under the direction of Cardinal Julian Herranz, Josef Tomko and Salvatore de Giorgi should place a name on the lea and bring to light, who did this "monstrous" and "criminal breach of confidence". The machinations are already in motion. It will be determined that the responsible will be very quickly discovered. The circle of persons, and the access to secret documents in the archive of the Secretary of State is very small.

Diplomats Against Salesians

The new governing style of Cardinal Bertone in the Secretariat finds its way and can be summed up under the formula "less diplomacy and more Gospel", which pushes the old team to anger. In addition to that there were several errors that the new Cardinal Secretary of State committed, especially in the first five years of the reign of Pope Benedict XVI. It was not enough for Cardinal Bertone to be the prophetic and intellectual to support the momentum of the Pope and make it visible within the Church and outside. Above all, he carried within the Roman Curia a Salesian preference to items that traditionally were in the hands of Vatican Diplomacy. The Cardinal Secretary of State is himself a Salesian of Don Bosco. He desire to surround himself with people he trusts, of course. The newly appointed were distinguished with academic qualifications, but it's the additional fact that they have no diplomatic experience. For that reason the cleft between the new and the old guard has been deepened. The appointment of the Bishop of Savona, Domenico Calcagno, as apostolic administrator of the Holy See, Bishop of Vercelli, Giuseppe Versaldi, prefect for the Economic Affairs and the rector of the Salesian University, Enrico Dal Covolo, at the Pontifical Lateran University. All three qualified for these tasks undoubtedly raised the ire of the old team. And it seems that the anger was so great that they felt it would be necessary to have a new Secretary of State. In this mood were the nominations of the Pope himself, which touched on his closest circle, as an object of criticism. There were the new secretaries, of course, brought their own way of working, and the women who lead the papal household. John Paul II had to be nuns, preferably Benedict XVI. consecrated laymen of Memores Domini, as the Vatikanist Paolo Rodari notes.

Viganò's Case Made the Struggle Public

The case exemplifies Viganò's grave internal struggle and let him be openly visible to the outside for the first time. This was followed in rapid succession and are thus likely to be directly related. Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a faithful follower of the former Secretary of State Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of the Governorate since 2009, the Papal State, was removed in October 2011 before the expiration of his term of office of the Roman Curia. Viganò, number two in the administrative office of the Papal States, wanted to become the new governor and compete to succeed Cardinal Lajolo. Instead, he was deported to the post of nuncio to the United States of America. The ambassadorship is one of the most prestigious in the world, but Viganò did not want his "deportation" to take place without a word. Probably in the hope of being able to prevent his transfer, the first "bomb" was placed by the Curial Archbishop himself Er wrote several letters, among other things, to the Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone and Pope Benedict XVI., In which he called the names of those from whom he claimed that they had placed him in a bad light "to polish him off" with the goal to leave him out. The letter to Cardinal Bertone was leaked to the media and then read in a television broadcast by journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, who has since published a book. The cost to Viganò in the U.S. was so ill-timed. Especially now that the bishops are locked in a bitter confrontation against President Obama for religious freedom.

The "Old Guard" Campaigned for Vignano


Viganò maintained in the letter that he had been removed because he wanted to take action against "lazy apples" who had allegedly doing business for themselves behind the Pope's back. He did not forget to note that these "apples" stood close to the Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone. But there is nothing more could be done. The Pope had decided that Viganò after his two strongly worded letters which immediately appeared in the media, and probably because of it, should leave Rome. He had to go although in his favor, and ultimately against Secretary of State Bertone, several important cardinals had offered support who invariably belonged to the old guard of John Paul II and who had prevailed mainly in the last years of his pontificate. Among them was Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the former prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, who was regarded in 2006 as a possible successor to Sodano as Cardinal Secretary of State, Cardinal Georges Cottier, theologian of the Pontifical House, and especially Cardinal Agostino Cacciavillan who sent the Pope an urgent letter, and is also a close companion of Cardinal Sodano.


Benedict XVI's determined advocate of transparency is intended to be discredited as "coverup man".

One purpose of the publicly leaked documents is also to discredit Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope, who more than any other, has been an advocate from the very beginning of his pontificate and has internally insisted on the tackling on several occasions the unpleasant and painful affairs openly and aggressively, and this was not only demanded of the pedophile scandal, but exemplified by the new rules that should target indiscretions could be conceived in distorted manners like "patching" and "coverup". Whoever committed this breach of trust proved himself to be aware of the anti-religious sentiments of many journalists. "New Guard" did not give expected backing to the Pope.

The truth is quite different than it appears

Behind the backs of the Pope two groups contribute to the Roman Curia in a bitter struggle against each other: the old guard, which Benedict XVI. wanted to overthrow after his election and the new guard, which he gave his confidence, but that expectation has not really paid out. The hoped-for support and strengthen the reform and renewal plan that Pope Benedict XVI. envision for the Church and with whom he wants to equip the church for the third millennium did not materialize. These include a profound reorientation as those in Europe to abandon the traditional idea of ​​a national church. It seems different, heterodox old forces want desperately to hold on to. To some extent they also include the paradox of "grassroots" groups that adorn themselves with the label of radical to the old forces that desperately want to hold on. The pope sees the other hand, as a faithful Catholic minority in Europe and ventures in contrast to the say-so of bishops and lay representatives. He sees that his task is to strengthen the minority and not indulge in the fiction of a national church, which no longer exists.

The Pope actually victims of intrigue - appointment of a new Cardinal Secretary of State?

Pope Benedict XVI. is the real victim of scheming game with this. But the pope is different than commonly assumed, a strong man of action. His understanding of many things is distinguished only by prevailing ideas. At the Roman Curia things are undergoing structural alterations, including the appointment of a new Cardinal Secretary of State. As a candidate for the office of the Vatican's "prime minister" there is the French Curial Archbishop Dominique Mamberti. Mamberti, currently Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Secretariat of State, and thus is the "foreign minister" of the Holy See is one of the Diplomatic Corps. He is said to possess the ability to work well with both factions too. This peace is what the Pope desires in order to free the back for its renewal program. Thus lie ahead with the appointment of a new prefect of the Congregation in two key changes. his plans for a fundamental transformation of the Roman Curia.

The Pope Plans a Fundamental Transformation of the Roman Curia

Pope Benedict XVI. Last Wednesday, took advantage of a meeting with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to speak about the future of the SSPX, was to receive the Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller in audience. Personnel decisions have not been on either of the items. Which is why all there are still other names included for the Secretary of State and the CDF.
German Text: Giuseppe Nardi Bild: Petrus Translation: Tancred Link to katholisches...

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Factions Fighting for Position in the Vatican


Edit: Considering how the Jesuit, Father Becker, was passed over for a Cardinal's hat, when he's clearly in good health, there's a lot going on at the Secretary of State. It seems that Cardinal Bertone is opposing some of the more conservative appointments, but then, it also seems as though the criticisms being leveled against him aren't very substantial either. It's also interesting in light of frantic reports in the Italian press about a supposed threat on the Pope's person.

It is not impossible that these Cardinals have a foreseeable future in the Congregation of Doctrine and the Faith.


(kreuz.net) On the 12th of January the journalist Franco Massimo reported about apparent factionalism in the Milan daily 'Corriere della Sera'.

There are two factions: the group of State Secretary Cardinal Bertone and his opponents.

Between the lines, Massimo ascertained that the opponents of the Secretary of State are to be found in the ranks of the Italian Bishops Conference.

There was  [?]  even a group of Cardinals who intend to draw up an anti-Bertone memorandum.

Inner-Italian Conflict

Massimo says that with the most recent increase in the Consistory of Cardinals -- 30 of 120 -- has generated a lot of frustration.

At the same time, the Italian Bishops' Conference and the Vatican agrees that the Italians will not be able to agree on a candidate at the next Papal election.

Thus, Massimo points out the lines of conflict.

The Confidence of the Secretary of State



Of the new Cardinals there are three followers of Secretary of State Bertone:

- Archbishop Domenico Calgano, the President of Apsa, which manages the assets of the Holy See.

- Archbishop Giuseppe Versaldi, the President of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

-Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, the President of the Vatican Governorate.

Msgr Versalde had originally been Cardinal Bertoni's candidate for the Archdiocese of Turin.

Actually, the Italian Bishops' Conference chose another candidate -- Msgr. Cesare Nosiglia (67).

Thus Msgr Versalde has been summoned to Rome, where he is to receive a Cardinal's hat before the current Archbishop of Turin.

In any case, the Secretary of State had no luck when the Patriarch of Venice, Angelo Cardinal Scola was named Archbishop of Milan.

According to Massimo's information, he is to have opposed this nomination.

The Charges Against Cardinal Bertone


The journalist explains that the Pope had not once succeeded in calming the conflict between the Bertone group and their opponents -- although he has publicly and privately called them to order.

Against Cardinal Bertone there are many -- often unspecific -- charges:

-Through the naming of new Cardinals his power base will -- in so far as a powerless Vatican generally allows -- grow further.

-He has made the Secretariat of State into a kind of Vice-Pope.

-He is one of the worst Secretaries of State, which the Vatican has ever had.

- He is indebted to provincialism and has reduced the international profile of the Catholic Church.

Two Unmentioned Things



Two important things were left unmentioned by Massimo.

Cardinal Bertone is already 77 -- and consequently a Secretary of State on call for retirement.

Other than that, there is a Salesian of Cardinal rank, the Old Liberal Prefect of the Congregation for Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato (72).

Like Cardinal Bertone, he is a former Secretary of the Congregation of Doctrine and the Faith.
It is not to be ruled out that Cardinal Amato could could return to there as Prefect.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Still More Spies in the Vatican

The sister was in the apartment of the Cardinal tidying up.  Then she pushed against the statue of the Mother of God of Fatima, which then fell to the floor.

Cardinal Casaroli's Coat of Arms


(kreuz.net)Pope John Paul II. was not the only one in the Vatican who pursued spies.  The Italian news agency, 'Adnekronos' reported on the 29th of December.


Even the former Secretary of State, Agostino Cardinal Casaroli († 1998), found a bug in his home.

It was for that reason that the Cardinal is said to have been shadowed by the Soviet Secret Service, KGB throughout the 80s.

Cardinal Casaroli was  in office from 1979 to 1990.

According to reports from 'Adnkronis' the Cardinal had a little statue of Our Lady of Fatima in his dining room.

One morning  a sister, who was a servant  in the residence, bumped into the statue.  The statue fell to the floor whereupon a bug was suddenly visible.

The Italian Secret Service had determined in the  90er that the bug had been placed by Irina Trollevera in the residence of the Secretary of State.

Mrs Trollerova was a Czech citizen and was married to the Cardinal's nephew.

Already since the election of John Paul II († 2005) in  1978, the KGB had planned to wiretap the Pope.

The goal of the exercise was, "to discredit the Church and the Pope himself with disinformation-actions and provocations."

Actually Pope John Paul II. had already had his experience with Secret Services.

He was already being investigated by the Communist Secret Police of his own country.

Link to the original at kreuz.net...

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Rome is Powerless in Germany

Most of the colleagues in 'Networks of Catholic Priests' are not prepared any longer to endure the patience-solutions, which have been proposed by the Roman authorities.

There are still only old Liberals coming in German, unscrupulous careerists in mitres.


(kreuz.net) "As the Priest Network was in Rome for the Priestly Year this Summer and we have been in contact with various dicasteries,  we were shaken by the powerlessness and helplessness of the Roman authorities in the face of Germany's plight."

Hendrick Jolie (46) said this in an interview in the most recent edition of the Catholic monthly magazine 'Kirchliche Umschau'.

 Fr. Jolie is a Pastor in the Diocese of Mainz and member of the Spokesman Committee of the 'Network of Catholic Priests' [Netzwerks Katholischer Priester].

"It is not even so, that one doesn't know in Rome, what is going on in Germany." -- he continued.

The 'Network' has been on a visit to Rome preparing an appeal, as it brought its own dossier on conditions in the German Church: "The opposite was actually the case."

A Congregation answered that it is "still much worst" than portrayed in the dossier.

In Germany The Problems Pile Up

Especially in connection with the British Hero Bishop Richard Williamson Rome was schoked, that the Bishops themselves were not too shy to distance themselves from the Pope rather than defend him.

Fr. Jolie counted numerous problems in the German Church:

-  The Pro-Abort organization 'Donum Vitae'

-  The ecumenical scandal- 'Kirchentag' with its homosexual propaganda

-  The distribution of Holy Communion to unbelievers.

-  The 'Central Committee of German Catholics' with its unspeakable President

-  The infamous ‘Königsteiner Erklärung’

-  The so-called pastoral teams which bury the office of shepherd.

For Fr. Jolie it is "always the same little game":  "Rome writes an instruction, a reprimand or the Pope admonishes the Bishop personally, to correct certain erroneous developments, and what happens -- nothing!"

The Thread of Patience is About to Break

 In Rome they feel powerless to go publicly against the powerful German Church-tax apparatus:

"Letters, reprimands and directions from Rome are met by the local authorities with so much disinterest, that it takes your breath away, is what someone in the Secretary of State Office told us."

For Father Jolie nothing else can be done, "than either to wait for the disintegration of the German Church-tax Monster or even waiting for a >>biological soluion<< in expectation on a decision maker."

Then he finally adds:  "Most colleagues in the Network are not ready to put up with the "Patience-Solution" being proposed by the Roman authorities.

 Link to original, kreuz.net...