Scottish Catholic Observer

Fears are growing that the Roman Curia could be enveloped in its worst scandal in decades after Paolo Gabriele, the Pope’s butler, was arrested on Friday with private Vatican documents found in his possession.

Following his arrest, Mr Gabriele agreed to co-operate with investigators, suggesting more arrests within the Holy See may follow.

Central to the situation is the leaking of dozens of private letters to Pope Benedict XVI and other confidential Vatican correspondence and reports, including encrypted cables from Vatican embassies around the world, which were given to an Italian journalist, Gianluigi Nuzzi who published the documents in a book earlier this month.

Pope Benedict made reference to these recent difficulties at his general audience on Wednesday when he spoke of seeking consolation in Faith for sufferings coming even from those closest to you.

Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said that the scandal had been very difficult for the Holy Father and ‘put trust in the Church and the Holy See to the test.’ “That is why we must confront [this] directly and not hide,” Fr Lombardi said.

The Holy See press officer said that Pope Benedict was also personally struggling with the betrayal of Mr Gabriele (bottom left of photograph).

“He is particularly hurt with regard to one person, who he was close to, who he knew, loved and respected,” he said.

Prior to his arrest, Mr Gabriele had worked for the Holy Father for six years and was seldom far from the Pope’s side.

Mr Gabriele’s lawyer, Carlo Fusco, said on Monday that his client was ‘very serene and calm,’ despite the press furore surrounding his arrest. Mr Fusco added that Mr Gabriele himself had told the Vatican judge investigating the case that he would ‘respond to all the questions and will collaborate with investigators to ascertain the truth.’

The Pope is ‘aware of the delicate situation going on inside the Curia,’ Fr Lombardi said, before denying rumours that senior members of the Church might be involved in the conspiracy.

Fr Lombardi confirmed that Mr Gabriele was arrested last Friday evening by Vatican police after they found the illegally obtained documents in his home, which is in Vatican territory. The investigation of the butler and the leaked papers are being overseen by a panel of cardinals ‘who are continuing their work and carrying out talks within the time required by the investigation,’ he said.

A committee of three cardinals Pope Benedict appointed in April to look into the leaks had asked the gendarmes to investigate Mr Gabriele just after the publication of the book of leaked papers by Gianluigi Nuzzi.

Fr Lombardi called the publication of the letters for commercial gain a ‘criminal act’ and said the Vatican would take legal action.

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