Cardinal most likely to become Secretary of State

Will Cardinal Maradiaga be the Pope's right hand?

"Il Messaggero" reported today that the confidant of the Pope from Honduras could replace the current Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

After the Pope appointed the Cardinal to an eight-member Commission which will be on hand to help him lead the world church, Vatican insiders reckon with further personnel changes at the Vatican in the summer. Several key positions in the Roman Curia could be filled with people enjoying the confidence of the Argentine pontiff. Francis is thinking of replacing Cardinal Bertone, under fire as a result of several scandals in the past year, with the Honduran Cardinal Oscar Luigi Maradiaga . This was reported by the usually well-informed Roman newspaper "Il Messaggero" on Friday.

Maradiaga was was appointed by Pope Francis in April as the coordinator of a group of eight cardinals to draft proposals for a reform of the Roman Curia. The Commission is also participating in a plan to reform "Pastor Bonus", the Constitution of the Roman Curia . The eight Cardinals will meet in October for the first time. But Francis has been in contact with them. Cardinals from all five continents belong to this directorate.
Appointment in late July?

The 70-year-old articulate Maradiaga is the favorite of the Pope . Francis could name him after his trip to Brazil in late July as the new Vatican Secretary of State, the paper stated. The Pope will participate in World Youth Day from July 22 to 29.

Maradiaga has from time to time been hailed as the rising star of the Latin American Church. The polyglot cleric speaks as a result of his psychotherapy studies in Innsbruck also a passable German. He is an avid musician and is also open to ecumenical questions. The Salesian with three doctorates, who has been president of Caritas Internationalis since 2007 and from 1995 to 1999 was president of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), is a sharp critic of the effects of globalization.

Criticism of the lack of transparency of the Vatican Bank
In his role as coordinator of the planned reform of the Curia, Maradiaga also expressed views on the Vatican bank IOR. He claimed that "IOR as any other financial institution should publish its balance sheets." "It is important that the role of the IOR Bank should be defined, to give clarity. All banks publish reports on their activities, otherwise things will not work, "said the cardinal.

The Cardinal Secretary of State (actually Secretary of State of His Holiness ) heads the main Dicastery of the Curia, the State Secretariat. The term Cardinal Secretary of State has prevailed in the German language, as this position is always occupied by a cardinal. The Secretary of State is largely responsible for the political and diplomatic activities of the Vatican.

The current Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone is considered by Italian media as a blocker of transparency efforts of Francis' predecessor, Benedict XVI. He was especially seen in the Vatican Curia as a champion of the status quo, even with the finances.

Source

Cardinal Bertone heads for the exit door

Vatican City, the resignation of Bertone nears
The Secretary of State is ready to leave. Bergoglio undecided.

After Joseph Ratzinger, another big player in the Church had decided to resign. As reported by Dagospia, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone announced over the weekend that as of June 2, he wishesto leave his post as Secretary of State of the Vatican after pressure received from the Commission consisting of eight cardinals appointed by Pope Francis.

Pope wants more collegiality.
The intent of the Committee is to achieve greater collegiality in the government of the Church. Bergoglio, however, has not yet decided whether to accept the resignation by making the news public, or wait a few more weeks to arrange a change of leadership in a more gentle and quiet manner.


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Extraordinary business of Cardinal Bertone

An aura of mystery surrounds the controversial figure of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the centre of a little-known story.

Some twenty years ago the Salesian order received a large inheritance which produced a legal dispute, resolved through the mediation of some lawyers and experts. Except that, after the event these mediators presented invoices for more even than the total inheritance, producing in evidence a signed contract.

In effect the judicial authorities put the Salesians in the wrong with the consequent real risk of seizure of all their goods and outright closure (Cathcon- presumably just in Italy). But how did the Salesians get into a mess like this?

Here would be the hand of Tarcisio Bertone, SDB happened at the time to be Archbishop of Genoa, as he was the one who signed the suicidal agreement.

Bertone was forced to write a very embarrassed letter to the magistrate , claiming they have been duped by people who had abused his naivety.

A Salesian naive? But the business sense of the Salesians is proverbial and it is difficult to imagine the Vatican Secretary of State as poor and cowardly.

What is most disturbing is the coincidence in time between the '"agreement" that would lead to the seizing of the Salesian assets and the approaching end of the pontificate of John Paul II and the entry of Bertone into the circles that matter.

Source
Cathcon- more to be expected on the business dealings of Cardinal Bertone

Sparks fly between two Cardinals over the Vatican Bank

What happened in the meeting room then? Bertone criticised Braz de Aviz for having expressed last Saturday his dissent on the management of the IOR and more generally of the Roman Curia, and for the fact that the dissent had been made public. He suspects him of having leaked the content of his speech to the Italian press. Braz de Aviz did not let the words of the former Secretary of State fall on deaf ears. He asked to speak again and curtly denied having leaked something to the outside. The Brazilian cardinal suspects, rather, that the information may have been filtered by the "organisation". Several cardinals, at this point, applauded.

Full story
How Cardinal Braz de Aviz celebrates Mass

More examples of liturgical decadence from contemporary Cardinals- but also some with liturgical sense, like Cardinal Burke.

Factions within the Conclave

They all want a say in the election of the new Pope: In the Vatican, various interest groups among the Cardinals are in for tough fight. An overview of the factions in the Conclave.

If the new man on the throne of Peter were to come from Europe or should he be a church leader from the southern hemisphere? Cardinals before their entry into the Sistine Chapel repeatedly emphasized that origin or skin color should not matter. At that point also various "factions" in the universal Church and different perspectives come into play.

The 115 voting cardinals come from 45 countries. Vatican experts divide them not only by "regional groups" one, but into different "lobbies" - including spiritual movements and the ultra-conservative lay organization Opus Dei.

Who are the various groups? First there were the "diplomats" . They are Cardinals that had been appointed by Pope John Paul II and are grouped around Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the Sacred College.

The 85-year-old, who for a long time as Cardinal Secretary of State functioned as "head of state" and previously served as the Vatican's diplomatic representative abroad, does not even attend the Pope's election. From his immediate circle, especially the Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri is called "Papabile".

Benedict and his "Bertonians"

The next group are the "Bertonians" : Cardinals appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and who are close to Tarcisio Bertone , the current Secretary of State and Cardinal Camerlengo.

They compete with the old guard of Cardinal Sodano. They include the Italians Cardinals Antonio Maria Vegliò, Giuseppe Versaldi and Giuseppe Bertello. Bertone himself is not among the favorites, but has great influence.

Benedict does not participate in the conclave, but plays a major role. He has appointed more than half of the voting cardinals and some of them also publicly praised. It is said that his favorite was the Italian Angelo Scola, whom he appointed archbishop of Milan, the most important diocese in the country.

Italian bishops split by region

Even the Italian bishops are an important group in the papal election.  They are according to Italian media reports however split into northerners and southerners.

The northerners sympathize accordingly with Cardinal Angelo Scola and the Archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, who is also President of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

The cardinals of the south have lost influence, since Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe was no longer Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Sepe Archbishop of Naples.

Is a member of Opus Dei "papabile"?

Also Opus Dei, the lay organisation founded by Spaniard Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer is represented in the Conclave by the Archbishop in Peru's capital Lima, Juan Luis Cipriani.   Cipriani is considered by some to be the fittest man to be Pope.

The arch-conservative "Opus Dei" is deeply rooted in Spain, Italy and Latin America. Emeritus Cardinal Julián Herranz is also a member, whom the Pope entrusted with the investigation of the "Vatileaks" affair.

Other important stakeholders are the so-called spiritual movements within the church. The Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa represents the  Schoenstatt Movement in the conclave. Archbishop Scola is the highest representative in the conclave of the movement Communion and Liberation (Communion and Liberation).

Finally, there are also the religious congregations: Among the Papal voters are four Salesians (Angelo Amato, Tarcisio Bertone, Raffaele Farina and Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga), three Franciscans (Carlos Amigo Vallejo, Claudio Hummes and Wilfried Fox Napier), two Dominicans (Dominik Duba, Christoph Schoenborn) and a Jesuit (Jorge Mario Bergoglio).

Source Cathcon- blogger won't let me label so many cardinals- for more info on each Cardinals, scroll down on the right to see their labels.

Cardinal Bertone is power crazy says Vatileaks journalist

Among the cardinals gathered in Rome for the conclave, according to the Italian investigative journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, there is a high demand for information "Vatileaks" scandal. "The need for clarification is enormous," Nuzzi said in an interview to the Bonn based "General-Anzeiger" (Monday). The journalist had with his publications set rolling the scandal involving the theft of confidential documents from the papal office
.
Especially those cardinals who came from abroad and are not working at the Curia had wanted to know the contents of the dossier, which the Cardinal's Commission investigating the affair had prepared.
At the same time the journalist said, the prevailing conditions in the Papal Curia had been unhelpful to the investigation of the events. "Nowhere is the anxiety about letting the truth come to light so large as in the Vatican."

On the upcoming Papal election, according to Nuzzi, influential clerics play a special role in various camps. The journalist described Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone as one of the "strongest poles" . "For him, power is an end in itself, it is his only goal. Significant also are the ranks of diplomats who gather around Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the Sacred College.

Then, for example, exists also a "Genoa-Connection," to which belongs Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, who is being discussed as Bertone's successor. All groups have "different conceptions of politics, of Catholic doctrine, and they compete for influence," according to Nuzzi. Of importance are groups like Opus Dei, the Legionaries of Christ or the lay movement "Communion and Liberation" were. He personally would like to see that neither the Pope nor his future Cardinal Secretary of State were Italians concluded Nuzzi. «The Italian cardinals are all far too caught up in the swamp."

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Cardinals demand names of two lay people cited in the Vatileaks dossier

In a speech given during yesterday's General Congregation, a foreign cardinal asked for some information on two individuals who are allegedly mentioned in the Vatileaks scandal dossier prepared by the three-man investigation commission . But the Camerlengo, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, sent an internal communiqué urging those present not to “name names” if they are not “certain”, as they could risk fomenting a climate of suspicion and resentment.

Italian newspaper La Stampa has learnt that the two individuals referred to yesterday were not members of the clergy but laymen. One of them does not work in the Holy See but has had frequent contact and collaborated to a high level with Holy See institutions. The other is a Vatican employee.

Full story

Cathcon- this begins to look like a cover-up.  Cardinal Sodano and his successor, Cardinal Bertone are not normally on the best of terms. 

Twelve Cardinals blacklisted by sexual abuse victims group

A group representing survivors of sexual abuse by priests named a "Dirty Dozen" list of cardinals it said would be the worst candidates for pope based on their handling of child sex abuse claims or their public comments about the cases.

The list names three U.S. Roman Catholic cardinals and nine from other countries.

SNAP, the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, said as it released the list Wednesday that its accusations were based on media reports, legal filings and victims' statements.

A representative for one of the cardinals on list dismissed the group. The remaining cardinals or their representatives couldn't be immediately reached by CNN for comment Wednesday.

"I'm not going to respond to this group which has little to no credibility," said Joseph Zwelling, a spokesman for Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York.

When asked about the SNAP list, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, a spokesman for the Vatican, told CNN: "We believe it is not up to SNAP to decide who comes to conclave and who is chosen. ... cardinals can decide themselves without asking SNAP for advice."

Lombardi and another Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Thomas Rosica, read the SNAP press release together, Rosica said. Lombardi declined to comment further.

The two other U.S. cardinals on the list are Sean O'Malley of Boston and Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., the group said.

A spokeswoman for Wuerl declined to comment.

The others listed are Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, George Pell of Australia, Marc Ouellet of Canada, Dominik Duka or the Czech Republic, Peter Turkson of Ghana, Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, Tarcisio Bertone and Angelo Scola of Italy, and Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico, the group said.

Full story Cathcon- strangely missing from the list, Cardinal Mahony, Cardinal Danneels, Cardinal Rigali and Cardinal Brady

Vatigate!- allegations of massive and systematic wire-tap authorised by Cardinal Bertone

A few hours before the resignation of the Pope come rumors of unrest from the Vatican: Benedict's most important assistant, Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone has, according to a magazine report, ensured that the Curia was systematically monitored. Not a good starting point for the conclave. The most important assistant of the outgoing Pope, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, reportedly spied systematically on Vatican employees. The aim was to investigate a suspected network associated with the distibution of documents stolen from the private office of the Pope by Paolo Gabriele. This is reported by the current issue of the Italian weekly magazine "Panorama".

Accordingly Bertone mandated the head of the Vatican Gendarmerie, Domenico Giani, to monitor phone calls, conversations and e-mail traffic of bishops and cardinals. If it took place, it was the "most massive and extensive wiretap" that has ever taken place in the Vatican. Details were recorded of who entered the Vatican at which time and again at which time they left and who had met with whom. "Panorama" does not provide evidence for the claim.

Explosive: police boss Domenico Giani is a former intelligence officer, who in the coming weeks was actually to leave the Vatican, because he was considered for the job as a security officer at the United Nations. The unexpected resignation of the pontiff made Giani withdraw. He decided to stay for now in the Vatican, although his new appointment was assured. Now decisions on his future will be taken after the appointment of the new Pope.

1999 Pope John Paul II picked Giani as vice-inspector of police in the Vatican. Since 2006 he is the director. The 50-year-old is married and has two children. Giani is also cofounder of Rondine Cittadella della Pace, a project that will offer a future to traumatized children and young people from conflict areas. In this context, he visited several times Chechnya.

Spying would be be the result of Vatileaks Even when taking office Giani extended the security measures at the Vatican drastically. He introduced thus a magnetic card system and perfected the video surveillance. "There is no square metre that escapes the eyes of the cameras," the paper wrote.

There were rumors that the espionage activities continued until today Many priests were nervous given the surveillance , especially so close to the start of the Conclave. Given the alleged total surveillance, it seems almost naive, that Benedict XVI in his recent "Motu Prorio" threatened to excommunicate all Cardinals, should they talk about the upcoming conclave and the candidates.

According to the newspaper spying which was put in place n September 2012, had been a result of Vatileaks affair, in which numerous documents from the archives of the Pope were made public. The journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi had written in a much-discussed book about the scandal and published several documents. In May, the manservant of the Pope, Paolo Gabriele, was identified as the man who had passed on he papers from the Vatican. He was charged, convicted and later pardened by Pope Benedict XVI. What is in the secret dossier?

Was the alleged surveillance done with the blessing of Pope Benedict XVI or rather was it a solo move by the Cardinal Secretary of State? After all, Benedict had officially asked the three Cardinals, Jozef Tomko, Julian Herranz Casado and Salvatore De Giorni to investigate Vatileaks. These handed over to the Pope recently a 300-page long dossier, in which, among other things, there was discussion of a powerful gay lobby in the Vatican.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said on Thursday to the "Panorama" report: "In connection with Vatileaks some wiretaps and surveillance have been authorized by investigative judges." This suggests that monitoring took place of "two or three users." He also denied that a comprehensive wiretap or surveillance was undertaken.

His spokesman colleague Thomas Rosica added that if there had been a monitor, it only took place in a "very small form." Both speakers emphasized the action had not been commissioned by the three cardinals who drafted the dossier relating to the affair.

The contents of the controversial dossier, nobody knows. Benedict has said he will pass it to his successor, and let him decide what to do with it. The Pope on 30th May 2012 stated that the Vatileaks publications had "saddened" him- he stressed that he stood behind his closest associates.

Bertone had been criticized for his crisis management during Vatileaks affair by many because he was seen as overwhelmed. He called the invasion of privacy of the pope serious, and sensed an organized approach: There they were "targeted attacks on the Pope," he told the RAI, the attacks he described as "deliberate, cruel and wounding".

After the resignation announcement of Benedict XVI, Cologne's Cardinal Joachim Meisner told the "Frankfurter Rundschau", that he had asked the pope to dismiss Bertone. The Holy Father however rejected this decision, "Bertone remains basta basta basta" he reportedly said. Insiders describe the connection between Ratzinger and Bertone as a close and trusting. The pope always relied on him and took him for a supporter, says the Vaticanista Marco Politi.

This is all the more surprising, when it is considered that the fall of the Vatican bank chief, instaled by Ratzinger, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi was on Bertone's account. Tedeschi wanted to provide for more transparency after money laundering allegations had become vociferous. After he had asked for details of certain bank accounts, he was sacked.

Whether the publication of the allegations of spying just at this time is politically motivated and intended to mortally wound the "Papabile" Bertone in the upcoming conclave is unclear. "Panorama" is published by the Mondadori publishing house, where Silvio Berlusconi has a majority holding. His daughter Marina runs the company.

Source

Vatican issues warning about the Conclave

The freedom of the College of Cardinals, which alone, under the law, is responsible for the election of the Roman Pontiff, has always been strongly defended by the Holy See, as a guarantee of a choice based on evaluations solely for the good of the Church.

Over the centuries, the Cardinals have faced multiple forms of pressure exerted on the individual voters and the same College, with the aim of conditioning decisions, to bend them to a political or worldly logic.
If in the past the it was the so-called superpowers, namely States, who sought to condition the election of the Pope in their favour, today there is an attempt to apply the weight of public opinion, often on the basis of assessments that fail to capture the spiritual aspect of this moment in the life of the Church.

It is regrettable that, as we draw near to the beginning of the Conclave when Cardinal electors shall be bound in conscience and before God, to freely express their choice, news reports abound which are often unverified or not verifiable, or even false, even subsequent damage to people and institutions.

It is in moments such as these, that Catholics are called to focus on what is essential: to pray for Pope Benedict, to pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten the College of Cardinals, to pray for the future Pope, trusting that the fate of the barque of St. Peter is in the hands of God

Secretary of State communiqué on Conclave:

'via Blog this'

Battle in Vatican leaves Archbishop Müller routed by Cardinal Bertone

Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone reprimands Archbishop Müller

(Lima) in the Andean country of Peru, there is a rebellious university, which Rome has deprived of the right to continue to call itself a "Catholic." The Archbishop who is responsible and nominal Chancellor of the academic institution withdrew from the entire faculty for the right to teach theology. After a heated session, which took place a few days ago in Rome, it has been laid down by the Holy See that the rebel university will continue without theologians. Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone was responsible for invitations to the meeting. The senior participants wished to thwart the intentions of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,Curial Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller. He had tried to take the side of the Peruvian rebel party. A "gross error" from the protector of the faith, as it is said in Rome.

Several Dicasteries were invited to the meeting to consider a letter from Archbishop Müller to the Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Cipriani Thorne dated the end of January. In it the Prefect demanded an explanation of why the Peruvian Cardinal had revoked the church's permission to teach all the university professors of theology department. The disciplinary measures were notified to the university authorities in December after which the Holy See by decree of June 2012, deprived the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú of the right to continue to describe themselves as "Papal" and "Catholic".

University must not be no longer describe themselves as "Papal" and "Catholic" - entire faculty of theology deprived of teaching license.

The disciplinary measures which had the approval of Pope Benedict XVI, has lost none of its legal validity, since the university boards continue to refuse to reform the statutes and to conform to the the ecclesiastical provisions of the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae for higher education institutions.

Although the Roman decree at the time of appointment of the Bishop of Regensburg to Rome had been adopted, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith becaome active after the rebellious professors had turned to complain to him. According to them, the withdrawal of permission to teach was made from "reasons of doctrine." Müller felt himself to be responsible for this matter and called on the Archbishop of Lima, despite his decision to allow the teaching regularly of theology. He justified this unusual step of saying that the Holy See had not yet decided the question.

Archbishop Müller's interference neither in Lima nor in the Vatican taken well
This interference of the new Prefect at the Congregation of the Faith was not taken well in Archbishop's Palace in Lima and not in the other departments in Rome. Therefore Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone called together the meeting at which the Müller 's letter was cancelled. It was done on the grounds that it had merely been a "personal" initiative by the Prefect, who had not even consulted his experts at the Congregation. 

Müller also did not also send the letter via the regular channels of the Apostolic Nunciature in Lima. The Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Cipriani had instead simply just got a fax.  The letter had ignored canon law, according to the other Dicasteries, in which the competent diocesan bishop has the right to grant and revoke the teaching license.

The result of the meeting was immediately sent through diplomatic channels to Peru. It can be summarized as follows: The letter from Archbishop Mueller is null and void and the decision of Archbishop Cardinal Cipriani has undiminished validity.

Müller's letter null and void - "Hard hit" for the new tenant of the Holy Office
The former Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, whose acronym of PUCP has shrunk in UP has not enough teachers who are willing to teach at the university without ecclesiastical permission.

The outcome of the meeting chaired by Cardinal Bertone was a "serious blow" to the new head of the CDF, as Andrés Beltramo Álvarez for Vatican Insider wrote. It is questioned in the Roman Curia whether the "new German" in Rome "is really the right man for such a central post, which demands maximum discipline demands and allows neither for improvisation nor for formal or editorial errors".

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"If the Cardinals choose Bertone, it is a suicide note"

The Catholic Church has over 1.2 billion followers and with all their human failings, the faith and intellect of the last two Popes have made their pontificates a success. Both of them, though, left the Vatican unchecked.

There’s only a slim hope that – as the noses of the cardinal electors sniff the stench of corruption and power politics that pervades the Vatican – they take a risk on a good man with the instincts of a radical reformer. If they choose Bertone, it’s a suicide note.

Full story

Cathcon comment- Italians have the advantage of flexibility, which is an advantage in government but they can become rather too flexible when it comes to commercial dealings.

Cardinal Meisner ""Holy Father, you have to dismiss Cardinal Bertone! "

How can it be that a Pope retires?

In an exclusive interview, Cardinal Meisner admits to being shocked by the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Nevertheless, he understands the decision of the Pope. The cardinal of the Germans is disappointed how often the Pope was ridiculed in his homeland.

Your Eminence, you are considered to be a close confidant of the pope. Were you kept in the picture about the resignation?

I was absolutely surprised and thought that the news was a joke from the Carnival on Shrove Tuesday. To be honest, I'm shocked really.

Shocked?

Such a step was beyond my imagination. Previously not even priests and bishops resigned. This has a very deep meaning: The ministry is indeed a kind of fatherhood. Father and one remains a father throughout life. Then, as the age limit for bishops and priests was introduced, I have for a long time thought: lucky that at least the Pope officiates for life. Then the continuity of this paternity is assured. However, I notice it in myself, that with the years I am more and more clinging to the ropes. And in as far as it makes sense, that you can also withdraw from matters. Not because you do not want to do anything any more. But one is freed from the "you must" and should instead say: "I can"

Did the Pope ever indicate anything to you?

Never. And if so, then I would not have understood. Because I had never held an abdication possible. I have recently told my nieces and nephews when they asked me what things would be like at Christmas after my 80th Birthday, "There are so many things that I no longer need to do. For example, I never have to go back into a conclave. "

What was your last meeting with the Pope like?

I met him in November during the Synod of Bishops and spent an evening with him. He was wide awake and on the mark. Also at the synod he held at the beginning of a 40-minute presentation – given without notes without equal in spiritual and intellectual depth. That is for him the elixir of life. And yes, he once told me: "If there comes a time when I cannot go on ..." Apparently he had at that moment a feeling of weakness.

In farming families, there is for the old farmers the farm outhouse in which after full time work they can enjoy the autumn of their days? Is the possibility of a resignation not a similar act of charity?

From my viewpoint especially a thought went through my head: How will things move now? A Pope retired! Reasonably considered, it is certainly appropriate that the Pope gives the office to another when he comes to the end: he can no longer continue with the necessary force. As a good father, he knows his responsibility to take care of his house. A building with a billion Catholics and endless stories to manage, is a burden that I do not wish to imagine. Especially when one is so smart and honest as the Pope who wants to think through everything important and is even more aware of the risks of his actions.

Are you stalked by the belief that he flees from office?

Not for a second! The claim that the Lord of the Church makes on us, we cannot escape. The Pope tries to do justice to the claim of the Lord when he says now: I have to recognize my inability to perform well the service entrusted to my care.


Did the Pope really know about the revision of your position on the "morning after" pill that you now have declared to be ethical after cases of rape?

My statement was agreed with the Congregation of the Faith and the Pontifical Academy for Life. I have also talked about it with the secretary of the Pope, Archbishop Gänswein,. He told me: "The pope knows. It's all right. "

You pushed in 2005 for the choice of Joseph Ratzinger. Has he met your expectations?

So, besides me there were also a few others who were for Ratzinger. What surprised me was his ability to grow into the new office. Shy as he is by nature. I found this on his first major trip back to Cologne for World Youth Day on the ship when I kept telling him: "Holy Father, you must now wave to the youngsters! And not only right, but also to the left, to all sides, "Until he once replied:" you constantly criticise me about it " Yes, "I said," until you have learned to be Pope ". The Pope tolerated such familiarity. He stayed really quite natural.

How does he go down in history?

As Pope, who with great intelligence analyses the present and set the course for the future. I had actually hoped he would still write a great encyclical on the "human condition", the problems of humanity in our time. No moralizing, but an unfolding of the Christian image that is now often called into question.

Contrary to what you said to your nieces and nephews another conclave is upon you. What sort of Pope do you want to vote for with the other cardinals?

For an answer, the news is still too fresh. First comes the 28th February, and I'm curious how this will happen in Rome: Will the Cardinals be there when the Pope leaves office? Is there a retirement party? But if I take a first look at this moment out into the future, the new pope would certainly a man of similar high education to Joseph Ratzinger, with great human experience, and - be of vital health – especially. No older than 70, I'd say. John Paul II once said to me in a face-to-face meeting: "The theological profile of my Pontificate I owe Joseph Ratzinger." The two complemented each other wonderfully. So a mixture of Wojtyla and Ratzinger would not be bad. But I've made really no idea about an appropriate candidate.

Did Benedict XVI miss the counterpart, which he himself was for his predecessor?

The Cardinal Secretary of State did not secure this role. During the Williamson affair, I even once, on behalf of a number of cardinals, went to the Pope and said: "Holy Father, you have to dismiss Cardinal Bertone! He's in charge - as would be the responsible minister in a secular government, "He looked at me and said," Listen to me carefully! Bertone remains! Basta! Basta! Basta! "After that I never brought up the subject again. Incidentally, this is typical: The Ratzingers are loyal. That makes life for them not always easy. The Pope has basically taken his closest collaborators from the CDF when he took over the new office, Cardinal Bertone as well as his secretary, the present Archbishop Gänswein. But the former prefect of the CDF, Cardinal Levada, did not play for Ratzinger a role in the way that he played for John Paul II. And the new prefect, Archbishop Müller of Regensburg, is only just in the office and must find out about his own role. He is a clever man, yet different to Ratzinger himself

The relationship of Germans to "their" Pope was very mixed. What is your assessment?

It has always hurt me how dismissively, even maliciously the Pope was spoken about in Germany. . What many lacked was a sense of self-awareness, even of pride that for the first time in nearly 500 years, again a German held such an office with this global responsibility. This was completely ignored.



Source:

Vatileaks journalist gives major interview on the Pope, the Butler and the Vatican Bank

Gianluigi Nuzzi, author of Vatileaks-book "His Holiness. The secret letters from the desk of Pope Benedict XVI"  is interviewed about the alleged plot against the Pope, prison cells and the machinations of the Vatican Bank.

Mr. Nuzzi, in recent times, the Pope was amazingly happy to start legal proceedings. Up until last week, he was suing the satirical magazine "Titanic". What are you accused of?

Nothing, because I have published documents whose authenticity is not disputed by anyone. They are like sandpaper, because the content is embarrassing and painful. But in Italy that is just as legal as distributing photocopies.

As one of your sources, the Vatican has revealed the former valet of the Pope, Paolo Gabriele. Is the result of the investigations true?

I will not breathe a word about my informants. But as Paolo Gabriele has designated myself as a recipient of documents - more specifically - photocopies of documents – this releases me at least partly from the absolute protection of sources.

Generally, there are two levels of interest. First, the question: Who are Nuzzis sources?

On the other hand the question: Why does a man like Gabriele - a devout Catholic, an absolute "Papist" who worshiped the Holy Father, who has accompanied him for years like a shadow – decide on such actions?

So, why? The Vatican speaks of a disturbed personality.

In southern Italy in the 1960s, there were women, who got pregnant out of wedlock who were put onto the psychiatric ward. Only can only badly solve problems with psychiatric reports. So, I the explanation of "crazy" leaves me quite perplexed. You mean about the Pope has surrounded himself with a weirdo for years, and nobody has noticed?

Article then gives short bios of the following

Paolo Gabriele, 46... counted as a servant of the Pope to his "inner family circle." The father of three had access to all the private apartments of the head of the church . "Paoletto" already served John Paul II and was widely appreciated. He is accused of  aggravated burglary of highly classified documents and sits in jail- according to his lawyer he wants to cooperate with investigators.

Gianluigi Nuzzi, 43

Tarcisio Bertone, 77

Federico Lombardi, 69

Piero Antonio Bonnet, 68

Investigating magistrate …..As well as the Papal butler, up to 20 further people could be involved in the leaking and publication of confidential documents. Further arrests thus are not ruled out.

Does it weigh you down as a writer, that one of your informants has migrated under lock and key?

I note with surprise that the man has been detained for months. Such a hardness in a state where everything else that always happens is just symbolic! Was that necessary? Commensurat with the Rule of law? Would it be possible in Germany for an offence such as theft?

Hardly.

Consider it! But beyond these procedural issues, there was perhaps a moral duty to publish these documents.

With the result of being arrested? Would Paolo Gabriele share this view?

Excuse me, we are all of legal age. Gabriele has not given me these papers to make paper planes out of them. I asked him how he feels. He told me that he was completely at peace with himself, and he had acted in full awareness of the possible consequences, because he considered it his duty as a believer.

Is there a conspiracy in the Vatican?

Against who?

I ask you! Against the Pope? Against his Cardinal Secretary of State? Against the goodie-two-shoes in the Vatican Bank? The hodgepodge of your documents does not give a clear picture, that's the problem.

Exactly! If the documents can be seen but no clear addressee, against whom they are addressed, this also means: There is no conspiracy and no conspirators, but only a few brave Catholics who have taken it for less serious that all these documents come to public light than to conceal hypocrisies and scandalous activities

For what purpose?

My grandmother always said, "Carta canta" – paper chatters away. These documents speak of how far the Vatican has removed from the church itself. And suffer from my informants.

That falls back ultimately on the Pope, who your informant supposedly wanted to help.

You will not find in my book anything that is directed against the Holy Father.

The whole book is directed against him. He appears as helpless, powerless. He has so little grip on his business that confidential documents in cartloads could be taken from his desk, only to end up with you. So, he who has such helpers, needs no more opponents.

I understand your point of view. But I'm not doing these things on my own. The spokesman of the Pope has for my revelations coined the term "Vatileaks". It is an attempt to put my book on a par with WikiLeaks. An inadequate attempt, I think. Because unlike Wikileaks, you see with me no military secrets, and anything that might compromise the security of a nation. But you know how it is in the Vatican and what weaknesses there are – as extracts, I might add. Because the documents show only a part of the reality.

Since their release, it has become lonely around the Pope. Even his former private secretary and his former female secretary belong to the traitors - out of jealousy.

Of course, all these rumors do the Holy Father no good. But we maintain once again: Apart from Paolo Gabriele no-one is being investigated. If all the alleged traitors around the Pope are identified, it is a bad game to weaken people who have nothing to do with my book. What is that for a story? Only the valet, no, also the ex-private secretary and ex-female secretary - they all should have together gone crazy and have started to work against the Pope? Absurd!

But how was it then? But were there high-ranking Vatican officials, members of the College of Cardinals even at work?

You still dig for the sources, instead if considering he contents! Do you know what Paolo Gabriele told me in his first and only interview that will come out soon? "If the Vatican had investigated the scandals with the same zeal as the search for their leakers, then that would have been very commendable." Anyway, one thing I can still tell you this: No Cardinal has made a contribution to my book.

Again and again, your book goes into the shady finances of the Vatican. Is this, in your view of the crucial flaw?

That the Vatican bank was involved at least until the end of the 80s in Mafia business and money laundering, has been disclosed in the highest courts. The next 20 years are, to a large extent, still in a semi-darkness. The Vatican has indeed only introduced the offence of money launderin in 2010. A short time later, the leading bankers of the Vatican appeared on a list of Italian justices of those to be investigated for money laundering. One of them has now been sacked. Let's see who succeeds him. Should it be a German, of which there is some murmur in the Vatican, it is likely to be interpreted as a sign of the strength of the pope and his secretary, Georg Gänswein.

Their publications have anything else changed in the Vatican?

One thing for sure: jail cells, which had previously been used as storage rooms have been renovated and brought back to their original purpose.

But joking aside, I do think that the effort has grown for greater transparency. A friend from the Vatican told me: Three-quarters of the people here understand the spirit of your book, even if they are of course not allowed to say it out loud. The Archbishop of Paris even said that the Vatican is at a turning point. Interesting, is it not?

What do you say about the documents on the relationship between the German Pope and Germany?

The whole affair of the Holocaust denier Richard Williamson has very much irritated the Pope. There was friction with the Apostolic Nuncio, and there was actually an expectation that the German cardinals should clearly position themselves against the criticism of the Pope from German Chancellor Angela Merkel . But what came of the matter?

It just fizzled out like the attempt of the Pope to clean up the Welt Verlag who famously had erotic book titles on offer. Now to the shares of the dioceses are probably transferred to a foundation under ecclesiastical control. That's not the solution which the Pope sought, according to the documents published by me! This is at most - to stay in the field of eroticism - a fig leaf.

Source-Frankfurter Rundschau

Italian press reports Cardinal has 30 year old son

Panorama, un cardinale vicino a Bertone ha un figlio di 30 anni - Panorama

A cardinal very close to the Vatican Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone (allegedly) has a thirty year old son. This is the most recent report from the Oltretevere and that complicates the position of the same Bertone. This is reported in the Italian weekly, Panorama , in the current issue from tomorrow Thursday, July 5.

According to Panorama , in fact, the would be father and Cardinal is at the top of the financial institutions of the Holy See which are separately being investigating by the Public Prosecutor of Rome and MONEYVAL, the Council of Europe anti-money laundering authority. The presumed fatherhood has no legal significance, but in addition to the investigations on the Immacolata Dermatological Institute (IDI), which will embarrass the number two of the Secretariat of State, John Angelo Becciu collaborator of Bertone. A nephew of Becciu, Maria Piera, is personal assistant to Father Franco Decaminada, the former CEO of Idi investigated for the 800 million euro (Cathcon!!!) hospital deficit.

Benedict XVI has repeatedly rejected the resignation of Secretary of State. According to the Panorama report, a final decision on a confirmation that Bertone will remain or a replacement found will be given at the end of summer, when the Pope returns from vacation.

kreuz.net notes the following details regarding the management of the Vatican's financial affairs? The Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See is headed by Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi (68 ). He is known to be close to the Secretary of State. The Asset Management of the Apostolic See, under the leadership of Cardinal Domencio Calcagno (69). Also, he is considered a friend of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The Vatican Governorate under the leadership of Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello (69), also a faithful follower of the Secretary of State. The Vatican's financial regulator 'AIF' under the leadership of Cardinal Attilio Nicora (75). (Cathcon- Bertone has demanded that Cardinal Nicora consults him each time that he visits any Vatican financial institutions. Not a very effective way to ensure good regulation and one suspects has not helped relations between the two).

Major shake-up expected at the top in the Vatican

Vatikan - Personalwechsel: Neuer Chef der Glaubenskongregation? - Ausland - Politik - Hamburger Abendblatt

Nearly a dozen senior leadership positions are filled with dignitaries beyond the retirement age of 75. Will the Curia become more international?

In the Vatican, a number of high ranking staff changes are awaited. Among them, it is not for certain that the Cardinal Secretary of State will remain in office, who is currently the focus of the "Vatileaks" attack. But there are currently almost a dozen senior positions with occupied by dignitaries above the pensionable age of 75. And even if no relationship between leaks scandal and retirement exists, the appointment will this time attract special attention. In addition, it will be possible to observe whether the Curia becomes more Italian or more international  For in the discussion about "Vatileaks", the influence and work of the Italians plays a significant role.

Already at the weekend, Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of the librarian and archivist of the "Holy Roman Church," Cardinal Raffaele Farina (78). It is unusual that at the same time a successor was not appointed and was due to complications. For the office, which usually goes to a deserving elderly member of the Curia, has already has been turned down more than once, it is heared.

Of course, the focus of interest is the CDF whose prefect, William Levada on Friday was 76 years old and who is known to be tired of office. It is unclear however, whether Benedict XVI will undertake the change in office prior to a decision on the SSPX, which could drag on. As a candidate for the succession to Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Canadian Marc Ouellet (68) is cited, or the Italian-American Joseph Augustine Di Noia (68), who is currently secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments . The President of the Family Council, Cardinal Ennio Antonelli (75), who has just organized with much bravado Milan's World Family Day, can reckon on an extension of office.

In contrast, Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, secretary of thePontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue , who was seventy-five in January , is expected soon soon to retire. The same applies to his fellow-countryman and Deputy Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples , Pierluigi Vacchelli. The vacant post of "Third Man" at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has been filled last Tuesday. In place of Massimo Cenci, who died suddenly, the Pope appointed a native of Sri Lanka, theologian Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage.

Long unoccupied is the post of the Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity . Staff changes are expected in the medium term In the management of the ecclesiastical courts. A native of Poland Antoni Stankiewicz, Dean of the Roman Rota, reached the age of seventy-five in October 2010. Gianfranco Girotti, "Regent" of the Apostolic Penitentiary reached that age limit in April.

The question remains, in the context of the upcoming appointments, how much the representation of Italians will change in the Curia. In the "small government departments," the pontifical councils, there are Italian Presidents in half (six out of twelve), in one third of the congregations (three out of nine) - more than at the beginning of the pontificate of Benedict XVI in 2005. In the College of Cardinals, there are 30 Italians in the 124 potential participants in the next conclave.

The German-speaking countries under the Bavarian Pope are represented at the top of the Curia with only one head of department (the Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity), a secretary (the German Bishop Josef Clemens,  Pontifical Council for the Laity ) and an Under-Secretary (Monsignor Udo Breitbach, Congregation for Bishops)

Therefore, the speculation about a move to Rome of the Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller (64) is particularly persistent. Vatican experts already saw him in half a dozen different high offices from the Congregation for Bishops to the Congregation for Catholic Education, even including the archives( Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church), The Vatican expert for the magazine "L'Espresso" Sandro Magister mentioned the theologian who is competent in several languages even for the "pole position" of the CDF.

The guessing game wassparked by the recent appointment of Mueller as a member of two other Vatican agencies. He has thus four Roman tasks - and is committed to the Vatican more than some cardinals who live in Rome. The question remains whether this signals an imminent move to the Eternal City - or whether the Pope would like to bind him more closely to Rome, because he (initially) will remain in his German diocese.

Cardina Bertone goes on television to defend himself and the Pope

Le cardinal Bertone analyse à la télévision les « attaques contre le pape » | La-Croix.com

Number two in the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, denounced on Monday, June 5, on state television RAI 1, the "ferocious, biting and organized" attacks against Benedict XVI in the case of leaked confidential Vatican documents, but said they do not frighten the pope.

"The have always been attacks intended to manipulate" even though "this time, however, it seems that the attacks are more targeted, sometimes fierce, biting and organized," he said. Benedict "certainly does not let himself  not frightened by the attacks, whatever their type," he added. "What is most sad in this case and in these events, it is the violation of privacy of the Holy Father and his closest collaborators," observed the cardinal, speaking for the first time publicly on the matter.

Referring to "transparency", the Secretary of State, the "Prime Minister" of the Pope, said: "It may be an act of cynicism or superficiality: it is not enough to read some documents and publish documents. Partial to know the full truth about the facts: clarifications are the result of a work of dialogue, of personal relationships and also conversion of heart, which are not simply the result of paper or bureaucracy. ". For Cardinal Bertone, these events are "moments not of division but of unity, strength in faith, serenity in decisions, real cohesion between all those who truly want to serve the Church."

Secretary of State said that the pope "listens to all and moves forward, true to his mission." As he said repeatedly in Milan, during the World Meeting of Families, the motto is still "Courage! ".

Cardinals refuse to ratify dismissal of President of Vatican Bank

Ior, i cardinali non ratificano la svolta - Corriere.it:

In itself, at least in theory, it would not be a complicated matter: the board dismisses the President of the IOR and then the "oversight committee of cardinals' ratifies the decision. If you agree, of course.

Only there is no agreement, the cardinals are divided: two of them are said to have refused this morning to vote on the measure supported by the Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone to ratify the decision.

Nothing happened. And the clash on the dismissal of the President of the IOR Ettore Gotti Tedeschi – in whonm "confidence was lost" eight days ago, with an unheard of hint of harshness from the board of supervision of the institution - it's all contained in a sentence that yesterday a prelate t murmured: "You see, There are still people who do not go against their conscience and morality, because they believe in eternal life. "

The news is filtered by the Leonine Walls 

The Secretary of State,Tarcisio Bertone appeared smiling behind Pope Benedict XVI in Milan, yesterday afternoon. A reassuring image, as a confirmation of "trust to my closest colleagues" that had been assured by the Pope on Wednesday. It almost never happens that the Secretary of State accompanies the Pontiff during his travels in Italy. Already, he was said to have been added at the last minute. But all the same Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican press spokesman said: "The presence of the cardinal there was arranged long ago: this trip is international, it is the world meeting of families."

In any case, the smile of Bertone veiled his concern. The Holy See denied there was a 'meeting' of the commission of cardinals and admits only to a "consultation" among the cardinals. However it is defined, the fact remains that it is the second in a week. Last Friday, after the dismissal of Gotti Tedeschi, the Commission had gathered to "consider the consequences" of the lack of confidence shown by the board. Far from taking effect, he had waited in vain all day an announcement: they had not even found agreement on the text, something unprecedented.

The supervisory committee is composed of five cardinals, as well as Bertone, who presides over it, and also Attilio Nicora, President of Financial Reporting Authority; Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, as well as the Indian Telesphore Placidus Toppo and the Brazilian Odilo Pedro Scherer. The last two reside in their countries. Tauran and Nicora, it is said, objected to the behavior of the board. And yesterday they kept to their position: no ratification of the lack of confidence in Gotti Tedeschi. Tauran is part of the the faction that looks askance at Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State. And Nicora has supported to the last the first version of the Anti-Money Laundering Law, subsequently amended by a decree on January 25 that has reorganised the authority over which he presides. This was one of the reasons that led to clash with Bertone Gotti Tedeschi, before his dismissal.

See latest developments

The financial incompetence and corruption behind Vatileaks

Vaticano, il grande buco - l’Espresso:

The Gemelli Hospital in Rome, owned by the Church, has a hole in theie accounts of one billion. This has been revealed in a letter to Cardinal Bertone: "There is danger of bankruptcy"

A few days ago the Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone received a report with devastating content regarding  the healthcare operations of the Catholic University of Sacred Heart which controls the Gemelli Hospital, showing a total debt of nearly one billion (750 to banks and 170 million to suppliers), and the risk of a crash is very close.   "L'Espresso" has read the confidential memo dated May 17, 2012 from Joseph Profiti, Bertone loyalist and part of the management of the University emphasising without any nonsense the seriousness of the situation. This has been caused by mismanagement and the fact that the claims budgeted by management of the hospital  against the Lazio Region (about 820 million, which in theory balance the debts, money that includes  257 million still in an arbitration court) are largely uncollectible.

The prospect for the Gemelli is a nightmare- cutting wages, job losses, split between the university and hospital and sale of the hospital. In December, the Lazio region led by Renata Polverini said it would give the Gemelli  no more than 79 million, whilst Profiti is more optimistic and hopes that the account just opened by the government would bring in cash for 50 percent of the amount required. But even so the remaining debts would not be "less than 400 million euros." If the figure was included in the total budget of the Catholic University, the consequences could be disastrous. "It would be impossible to access to structured bank financing and exposure to possible bankruptcy petitions in the court of Milan by the creditors or, if the situation of the University comes to the attention of ajudge, the opening of bankruptcy proceedings ex officio.   It must be mentioned the court of Milan has developed a very aggressive attitude. " As the case of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan.

Broken dream. In the Vatican "mala tempora currunt". By the black crows, leaks of confidential documents and wars between opposing factions, the Holy See is rocked by scandals unprecedented. But soon other key issues, flaws that so far have remained well hidden under the carpet will shake the Curia, because the new crisis will overwhelm the Church in a field which counts the most: that of hospitals controlled by religious. Yet until recently, hopes were very different. Bertone had decided, in agreement with the former President of the IOR Ettore Gotti Tedeschi (who, together with some politicians had initially launched the idea, as stated in this exclusive document ) and Profiti (the chairman of the Infant Jesus Hospotal a layman and loyalist of the former Archbishop of Genoa), to buy the San Raffaele. The rescue should have been the first step of a more daring scheme, the creation of a Vatican healthcare cluster, apart from the institution founded by Don Verzè, the Gemelli, the IDI-San Carlo, the Infant Jesus and the House for the Relief of Suffering in San Giovanni Rotondo. A giant.

But over the months the puzzle put together by Bertone and Profiti went to hell. The San Raffaele has fallen into the hands of Giuseppe Rotelli, Gotti Tedeschi was expelled in disgrace, the control of the Toniolo Institute (the foundation that controls the Catholic) has fallen into the hands of a sworn enemy- Cardinal Angelo Scola. And, with the exception of the Infant Jesus, the Catholic hospitals have increasingly negative accounts, and financial crash is seriously threatened. In addition to the Gemelli, at the Idi San Carlo doctors and nurses are paid in bursts (the last salary received is in March), while the hospital founded by Padre Pio, which is 90 million in the red, fought an impossible war to obtain credits that are the boast of of the Puglia Region. Two judicial inquiries of the Prosecutor of Rome ( on on the Idi and the other on the Gemelli, where at the end of 2010, 800 000 Euro for hospitalizations "disappeared") have begun to investigate the possible cause for the collapse.

Cardinal Bertone kept close to the Pope

Quotidiano Net Mobile - News

The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will accompany Benedict XVI to Milan for the World Meeting of Families which kicks off this afternoon and will continue until Sunday. This is an exceptional event as it normally the Secretary of State does not follow the Pope around during the latter's travels in Italy.

The fact shows the closeness of the Pope's closest collaborator at a particularly difficult time for the Church of Rome marked by crises and investigations resulting from the leak of confidential documents from the Vatican. Benedict XVI thus intends to reinforce the message of last Wednesday when, at the end of the General Audience, he confirmed his faith in his closest collaborators and at the same time denouncing the many allegations that are raised against the Church.

Moreover, the visit in Milan takes on a meaning of showing the unity and solidarity of the Church at the time that it is hit by the media storm. While visit to the World Meeting of Families has been in Benedict XVI's schedule for some time, it has also been shown that Milan was the centre, in the recent past (as reported by various news leaks and false documents), of controversy and tension between different parts of the Catholic world and the Church.

In Milan there is to be found the Institute Toniolo which is considered a bastion of the Italian Church – and which effectively manages financially Catholic University, and around which Institute several questions have arisen. With respect to Toniolo, people speak of rivalry between the Church in Milan with the Episcopal Conference on the one hand and the Vatican and the other for the control of the Institute. Currently the president of the Toniolo is Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, who succeeded Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi. Archbishop Scola will be welcoming the Pope to Milan.