Vatican criticises ‘Vatileaks’ story on accomplices

(July 23, 2012) The Vatican on Monday severely criticized newspaper reports that singled out three persons suspected of being accomplices in leaking highly confidential documents of the Pope, in a scandal dubbed as “Vatileaks’. Pope Benedict XVI’s personal butler, Paolo Gabriele was arrested May 23 on suspicion of stealing and leaking documents in a case that embarrassed the pope while hinting at corruption, infighting and power struggles at the Vatican's highest levels. Gabriele has now been allowed to return to his family home within Vatican City. Fr Federico Lombardi, the Director of the Vatican Press Office on Monday criticised a report in “La Repubblica”, one of Italy’s top-selling daily newspapers and identified its source as an article that appeared in Germany’s “Die Welt” online a week ago. The Jesuit priest said the report adds nothing to the “Die Welt” article which was ignored by most of the German press precisely because of its inaccuracies and unfounded accusations against the individuals. The Holy See’s spokesman said that merely being called before a commission in the course of its investigations in no way means that a person is suspected of wrongdoing. Even Vatican Secretariat of State has expressed strong and total condemnation of the news reports, which it said are not objective and seriously harm the honour of the concerned persons, who for many years have faithfully served the Holy Father. Encouraging unfounded suspicions with regard them, Fr. Lombardi said, is totally unacceptable. He reiterated the complexity of the case and suggested readers have a right to greater honesty in news reporting. Three persons have been mentioned in the article: Ingrid Stampa, Cardinal Paolo Sardi and Bishop Joseph Clemens. Fr. Lombardi said Cardinal Sardi retired from the Secretariat of State on reaching the retirement age of 75. Ingrid Stampa continues to work in the Secretariat of State and Bishop Clemens is the secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.