VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
The most authoritative Vatican analyst in the United States shares his thoughts on the Vatican leak crisis
Paolo Mastrolilli
New York correspondent
“I can’t help but wonder whether this whole affair can really be ascribed to the Pope’s butler alone, or if someone else is pulling strings behind the scenes.”
John Allen is sceptical. The most authoritative Vatican analyst in the United States has trouble believing that the entire secret document affair, which has emerged in the past few months from the innermost offices of the Holy See, will end with the arrest of Paolo Gabriele.
Why doesn’t this version of the facts convince you?
“I’ve read the opinions of those who put forward the suspicion that the Pope’s butler may simply be a scapegoat and I share that view. I can’t help but think that ‘Vatileaks’ can’t simply be traced to one butler but to some high-ranking ecclesiastical figure who has remained behind the scenes. It’s a question that remains unanswered, but I don’t find the answer given so far, Gabriele’s arrest that is, entirely convincing.”
Couldn’t he have stolen these documents for personal reasons?
“From what I’ve heard, this butler is a very down-to-earth, religious person. I don’t know him personally, but the description of him that is going round does not match the profile of the alleged spy.”
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