Vatileaks: Pope’s Former Butler Says He Is Disliked by Many Because Not a Supporter of the System

Vatican Insider
July 26, 2012

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/the-vatican/detail/articolo/vatileaks-17089/

The Pope's former butler, Paolo Gabriele

“I am disliked by many because I am not aligned with the system.” It is a phrase which reveals all the deep anguish that has been shaking Paolo Gabriele, the Pope’s former butler, who is currently under house arrest after spending two months in a Vatican prison cell, charged with aggravated theft of confidential documents. He is now awaiting a predicted committal for trial. The butler kept on repeating the phrase to friends and acquaintances in the Vatican before getting mixed up in one of the most controversial scandals that have shaken the Holy See in recent years.

There is still one fundamental question surrounding the scandal involving the so-called poison pen letter writers - who got hold of some confidential documents belonging to the Pope and had them published in Italian newspapers and a book: why did the person/people responsible do this and why? If Gabriele, who is still the only individual under investigation who is facing trial, spoke of a “system” he was not in line with, perhaps in his mind, over time, he developed a need to act if not fight against these alleged forces of power working around or even against the Pope, out of “love” and in order to “help” Benedict XVI. This is how he described his actions to his lawyers Carlo Fusco and Cristiana Arru.

According to the two lawyers, Gabriele acted the way he did because he was influenced by a set of “inner ideals” which led him to follow a plan which was “certainly questionable” but was meant for the “good of the Church.” Gabriele sent a distressed letter to the Pope explaining these reasons and thinking. The letter reinforced the former butler’s hope that Benedict XVI would forgive him.

This possibility is being increasingly discussed in the Vatican. All the Pope would need to do is to grant him a pardon which he can do at any time, but he would probably grant it after Judge Piero Bonnet announces his decision either to commit the former butler for trial or to acquit him. This decision would formally close the preliminary inquiry phase.

There are also a number of theories being made regarding Gabriele’s future. One possibility is that “Paoletto” as people in the Vatican affectionately used to call him, will remain in the Holy See. In this case he may be deployed to one of the dicasteries in San Calisto and assigned the more humble role of usher, being stripped of his house in the Vatican. But not decision will be taken before Ratzinger has reflected carefully on the matter at his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo and read the report prepared by the Cardinals’ Commission led by Cardinal Julian Herranz, the content of which remains top secret.