What the Vatican butler saw

The "Vatileaks" story -- an investigation into a recent series of links of sensitive Vatican documents -- is taking on the air of a great detective story, or even a "St. James Bond" thriller! This week saw the arrest by the Vatican police -- yes, the Holy See does have a gendarmerie -- of none other than the Pope's butler, Paolo Gabriele.

Signor Gabriele, who has been majordomo of the Holy Father's household for six years, was allegedly discovered in possession of confidential documents. He is now being held in the Vatican's little used jail -- they have one of those too -- for further questioning. [Do I hear the rack being dusted off? Ed.]

But who is Signor Gabriele? What documents would he be filching, and why? Although he's a member of the pontifical household, Gabriele is only a layman. Would he know the significance of the letters and files with which he was caught? One can picture him looking at confidential documents on the Pope's desk while he did the dusting, but what would someone with no particular influence, acting on his own, do with the papers? Sell them on eBay? Hardly likely!

Vatican insiders are convinced that the "Vatileaks" scandal has been orchestrated by some more senior official... someone deeply involved in the ongoing power struggle within the Vatican. Perhaps the point of Gabriele's arrest is to set him up as a scapegoat to deflect attention from the real mastermind... perhaps a powerful prelate. Shades of Lee Harvey Oswald! Let's hope nothing happens to the butler before he can talk!

Walt is waiting with bated (not baited) breath for the next reel, in which the identity of the villain is revealed. Want to play the guessing game with me? Ask yourself what Italian cardinal likes to regard himself as the Pope's prime minister... the No. 2 man at the Vatican... the eminence grise... the power behind the Chair of Peter.

Which cardinal feels it's time for the papacy to pass back into the hands of an Italian... like his eminent self, for instance? Those who believe Lyndon Johnson was behind the assassination of JFK should have no trouble deducing the identity of the Man Who Would Be Pope. Lifetime pct .989.