Cardinal Commissioners report to the Pope in the "Vatileaks" affair- excommunications possible

The background to the investigation

What was unusual was not the meeting itself. But the fact that the Vatican officially announced the meeting of Benedict XVI. with his three Cardinal Commissioners in the"Vatileaks" case. It shows how especially important for the Vatican are the backgrounds and motives of the affairs.

For weeks, the Vatican investigates the "Vatileaks" affair

On Saturday afternoon, the Pope received the Spaniard Julian Cardinal Herranz, the Slovak Jozef Cardinal Tomko and the southern Italian, Salvatore Cardinal De Giorgi in audience, says the Bulletin of the Press Office. The retired dignitaries are charged by the head of the church with investigating the betrayal of confidentiality.

Parallel to the investigation of the Vatican Police, they are allowed to invite prelates, bishops and cardinals to meetings. The Vatican provided information neither on the content of the papal audience nor on the previous findings of eminent special commission. But the report of the tripartite group - after several conversations between the Pope and Cardinal Herranz -which have not been reported- suggests a turning point.

The three cardinals like the police are to investigate how the documents could disappear from the desk of the pope or his private secretary, Monsignor Georg Gänswein. They are trying to clarify the circumstances, potential backers and accomplices of the one person arrested so far, the papal chamberlain Paolo Gabriele. And they seek to establish the motives for the deliberate betrayal of trust.

That Gabrielle has exploited his position of trust and taken the papers from the offices of his employer, is only doubted by creative conspiracy theorists. But after the preliminary investigation of the Vatican prosecutor, Nicola Piccardi and the first interrogation by Judge Piero Antonio Bonnet so far nothing tangible has become known: Nothing that would confirm or refute the theories of well-meaning individual perpetrators, of a circle of conspirators, of the struggle for power in the curia or of foreign-controlled conspiracy. There are only several inconsistencies: Why has a family man devoted to the Church puts his whole life at stake. And why did he not previously destroy or hide the "evidence"?.

Investigating the background

The background and motives for the Vatileaks affair are important to the Vatican. The question is what exactly has triggered such anger and resentment. Was it, as some speculated, the moving of Vice-Governor Carlo Maria Vigano, who wanted to clean up the Vatican state administration, which has motivated the revelations? And against whom is the attack? Does someone want to harm Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Papal Secretary Gänswein or both? Perhaps even the Pope himself? Or is it the institution of the Church that should be damaged and discredited?

After several days of rest, the interviewing of Gabrielle will be continued in the coming week. Meanwhile Bonnet has seen the material, and the defence team of the butler will familiarize themselves further with the case. And in addition to the offence of theft, it will soon be a natter of the disciplinary and ecclesiastical side of the offence.

The "General Regulation of the Roman Curia" of 1999 refers to in Article 76, the "violation of the pontifical secrecy" as grounds for dismissal. Administrative secrecy was "to be rigorously observed" (Article 36), files or messages should not be given to any unauthorized person, and this applies particularly to the "Pontifical secret". This injury is indicated in the oath of office, which must be taken by the members of the Curia, as a "grave sin".

Source

Cathcon- in severe cases carrying the sentence of excommunication