Letter from Father Lombardi, press spokeman to the Vatican, to Swedish TV
Dear Mr Fegan,
the only thing I can say is that I did not have any knowledge about your interview with Bishop Williamson before It was broadcasted. After that I was informed about it by journalists and Swedish colleagues of Vatican Radio.
Card. Castrillon said me no word about it before the interview was broadcasted.
I did not know that an information was sent about Williamson to the Vatican, and I do not know who has received it and red it. No one said me any word about it.
The Pope has said that he was not informed as he approuved the lifting of the excommunications. I am sure that the Pope tells the truth.
As I informed my Superiors about your interview with Williamson, I saw that the decision about the lifting of the excommunications was already done.
Therefore the only thing I could do, was to distinguish strongly between the sense and the intention of the decision of lifting the excommunication by the Pope, and the absolute inacceptability of the negationism of Williamson as his personal position which was not connected in any manner with the origin of the excommunication. This is what I have repeated many times in those sad days.
I hope that this answer is clear.
Thank you for your attention. Best regards.
F.Lombardi
Published on the Swedish TV website
the only thing I can say is that I did not have any knowledge about your interview with Bishop Williamson before It was broadcasted. After that I was informed about it by journalists and Swedish colleagues of Vatican Radio.
Card. Castrillon said me no word about it before the interview was broadcasted.
I did not know that an information was sent about Williamson to the Vatican, and I do not know who has received it and red it. No one said me any word about it.
The Pope has said that he was not informed as he approuved the lifting of the excommunications. I am sure that the Pope tells the truth.
As I informed my Superiors about your interview with Williamson, I saw that the decision about the lifting of the excommunications was already done.
Therefore the only thing I could do, was to distinguish strongly between the sense and the intention of the decision of lifting the excommunication by the Pope, and the absolute inacceptability of the negationism of Williamson as his personal position which was not connected in any manner with the origin of the excommunication. This is what I have repeated many times in those sad days.
I hope that this answer is clear.
Thank you for your attention. Best regards.
F.Lombardi
Published on the Swedish TV website
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