Vatican confirms Pope butler's arrest in leaks scandal
In this photo taken on Wednesday,Pope Benedict XVI, flanked by his private secretary Georg Gaenswein, top left, and his butler Paolo Gabiele arrives at St.Peter's Square.
The Vatican confirmed today that Pope Benedict XVI's butler had been arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential documents and letters from the pontiff's private study to newspapers.
A statement from Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said that Paolo Gabriele was still in custody and been allowed to meet two lawyers of his choice.
The statement said Gabriele benefited from all the judicial safeguards provided for in the Vatican's penal code and investigations were continuing.
It said secret documents had been found at the butler's home in the Catholic Church's city state, but a judge would decide whether he should be prosecuted.
Italian media said yesterday that Gabriele, 46, had been working as a butler in the papal apartments since 2006. One source said the Pope was "saddened and shocked" by this "painful case."
Gabriele was a member of the small team which works daily in the Pope's apartments, but media reports said he was not the only suspect in the leaking of documents, some of which ended up in a new book published a week ago.
Gianluigi Nuzzi's "His Holiness" reproduces dozens of top secret and private letters and faxes which were reportedly smuggled out by whistle-blowers tired of the corruption and unhealthy bitterness in the Vatican.
The number of people who have access to the pope's private study is very limited, and includes his butler, four nuns and Benedict's two secretaries, Georg Gaenswein and (Gozitan) Alfred Xuereb.
Last month, the Pope set up a special commission of cardinals to probe the leaks, which began in January.
The documents have mainly centred on the activities of Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and of the Vatican bank, whose head Ettore Gotti Tedeschi was sacked on Thursday.
Tedeschi, 67, was removed by the bank's board for failing to clean up the image of an institution that has come to symbolise the opacity and scandal gripping the Holy See's administration.
Tedeschi, an expert on financial ethics, had also recently been suspected of being one of those behind the leaks.
See blog by Fr Joe Borg http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120526/blogs/vatileaks-the-plot-thickens.421408
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Carmel Vella
May 27th 2012, 05:10
What on earth could be so secret that this butler should be taken to court? Is this perhaps some black book full of Mafia business, or skulduggery of some sort? He is at worst , unethical and at best an idiot jeopardizing his position.
Joe Portelli
May 26th 2012, 18:44
'smuggled out by whistle-blowers tired of the corruption and unhealthy bitterness in the Vatican' , if this is correct, then this whistle blower did what his concience told him. The Pope, would have done the same is they swapped roles, as the Pope too follows his conscience. Cleaning up the church is not easy, and the best cleaners are the ones in the know and not the crtitics.
Albert Zammit
May 26th 2012, 18:36
The Holy Roman Catholic Church is supposed to belong to the faithful. All administration should be public. How come they can hide such stuff.
One thing is for sure - they have a finger in what belongs to Caeser's!
Charles Grixti
May 28th 2012, 00:31
The key word here is 'supposed" and you suppose incorrectly.
Rocco Camilleri
May 26th 2012, 17:51
Values seems to have vanished or nearly so when one hears such news and others, sometimes coming from top people / admisistrators. It's a pity and is not a good example for the coming generation.
M. Busuttil
May 26th 2012, 17:42
One source said the Pope was "saddened and shocked" by this "painful case."...
It's high time to get to know what has been going behind those closed doors for ages. No one likes to be intruded upon on especially if there are issues which are to be left within confinement!
Mr Ernest Vella
May 26th 2012, 17:25
Jiena din naraha biss bhal invazjoni tal-privacy...ghax xi dritt kellu din il-persuna fdata jaghti ittri u dawn jigu ppublikati? Tal-misthija!!! u mhux ghax il-Papa biss imma dawn l-affarijiet qatt m'ghadhom isiru.
Kurt Mifsud
May 26th 2012, 18:22
U xi dritt ghandhom certu persuni jahbu il-verita u jidhku b'biljuni ta nies ghal-generazzjonijiet shah u juzawhom ghal skopjiet ta poter?
Vince Cachia
May 26th 2012, 18:55
Sur Vella kieku ma jkunx xi hadd bhal dan, ma nkunu nafu XEJN!!!
c p agius
May 26th 2012, 20:38
Mr. Vella.....Can't you see that they blamed the whistleblower?......The one who exposed the crime (money laundering that is)
ANTHONY PAVIA
May 26th 2012, 17:21
"clean up the image of an institution that has come to symbolise the opacity and scandal gripping the Holy See's administration." May I recommend the BBC's write up on the subject. It is not afraid to give specific information about the higher ups' nasty goings-on @ the Roman Catholic church.
john gauci
May 26th 2012, 18:44
The BBC loves anything anti catholic and its reports are known to be very bias despite their denial. Is the BBC so "not afraid to give specific information about the higher ups' nasty goings-on @ the ANGLICAN CHURCH or churches of other denominations?
Angus Black
May 26th 2012, 19:58
Anthony Pavia, pretty soon you will be demanding a blow by blow accounting of what goes on between Elizabeth And Phillip behind the iron gates of Buckingham Palace for the sake of 'transparency'!
Any 'man-administered organization' is subject to error in judgment and deliberate wrongdoing. The butler had no right to lay hands on documents which do not come under his responsibility and which, in all probability he does not even understand. It would be worse for him (and any others) if payment was received for the delivery of such documents. The author of the book mentioned should be very uneasy about his position if it can be proved that he knew the documents were stolen. There go any anticipated profits from the book.
Emmanuel Saliba
May 26th 2012, 17:16
Our dear Pope, will always face oppostion in his mission to the Faithful worldwide.
Charles Micallef
May 26th 2012, 17:15
Did the butler do his job training at the News of the World?
Alfred Falzon
May 26th 2012, 16:54
His Holiness did not give a press conference to announce the alleged leaks but the Vatican issued a press statement.
Please choose the reason of your report below: