The Catholic Faith -- the traditional faith handed down to us through the Apostles and great doctors of the Church -- is full of mysteries. That's what the priest used to tell us when we asked a difficult question, like the nature of the Holy Trinity. "It's a mystery..." is what he'd say.
The Church Herself is full of mysteries too. One of them is why Pope Benedict XVI keeps Cardinal Bertone on as his Secretary of State in spite of Bertone's obvious incompetence, manifest apostasy, and the Vatileaks scandal swirling around him. It's like a president or prime minister retaining a cabinet minister who's been caught out once too often and should have fallen on his sword (in this case his crozier) ages ago.
Instead of building the gangplank off which the prelate might be expected to walk, the captain of the good ship Vatican has just confirmed Bertone's position as First Mate. On Wednesday, the Vatican released a letter from the Holy Father to the cardinal, in which he said: "I wish to express my profound appreciation for your discreet support and your enlightened counsel which I have found of particular help in recent months.... Having noted with regret the unjust criticism raised against you, I want to renew the expression of my personal faith in you... which remains constant."
This ringing endorsement comes following the arrest of Paolo Gabriele, the pope's butler, which climaxed ten terrible days in May, during which the head of the Vatican bank was also fired and a new book alleged cronyism and corruption in a Holy See riven by conflict between plotting cardinals. Vaticanistas can't figure out if Cardinal Bertone is the plotter or the plottee. Benedict's statement seems to suggest that the pope believes the latter.
Unless of course Bertone has some sort of inside knowledge which, if made public, could embarrass or even destroy Benedict's pontificate. For instance, that Benedict, when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, not only colluded in but directed the conspiracy to bury forever the Third Secret of Fatima, widely believed to predict corruption and apostasy in the very highest places in the Vatican.
Church experts say the "Vatileaks", involving embarrassing details about officials Bertone has appointed or removed or projects he has promoted, suggested a concerted effort to force him out of his job. If he's made to go, he won't go alone, and he won't go quietly. At least, that's what Walt thinks, and that would explain the pope's unctuous expression of support.
Vaticanistas suggest a rival "diplomatic wing" including Bertone's predecessor, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, is involved in the plot against the secretary of state. Bertone likes to portray himself as a theologian and canon law expert, not a diplomat. He has been unpopular in some quarters for what is seen as an authoritarian style and his closeness to Italian politicians.
Meanwhile, Benedict relies on his secretary of state to run the daily business of the Vatican and its embassies abroad while he devotes much of his time to doctrinal issues and writing a three-book study of Jesus Christ. Sort of like the piano player in a brothel. "I don't know what goes on upstairs but I have the greatest confidence in the madam."
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