KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.
JACK VANIMPE-CRISLAM AND POPES RESIGNATION
http://www.thegospel.com/clients/jvim-jack-van-impe-ministries/mediaplayer.asp?ID=310&vID=61
PROPHECY OF THE POPES-HAL LINDSEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIt9P7xMIGU
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
REVELATION 17:1-6,9,15-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.(BOMBS-NUKE)
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.(VATICAN)
BISHOP SHEEN (CATHOLIC PREIST)-THE FALSE POPE WILL HAVE A RELIGION WITHOUT A CROSS,A RELIGION WITHOUT A WORLD TO COME,A RELIGION TO DESTROY RELIGIONS.THERE WILL BE A COUNTERFEIT CHURCH.CHRISTS CHURCH WILL BE ONE,AND THE FALSE POPE WILL CREATE THE OTHER.THE FALSE CHURCH WILL BE WORLDLY,ECUMENICAL AND GLOBAL.IT WILL BE A LOOSE FEDERATION OF CHURCHES.(WORLD COUNCIL OF LUKEWARM CHURCHES) AND RELIGIONS (ISLAM AND THE NEW AGE MOVEMENTS INCLUDED) FORMING SOME TYPE OF GLOBAL ASSOCIATION,A WORLD PARLIAMONT OF CHURCHES.IT WILL BE EMPTIED OF ALL DIVINE CONTENT (NO JESUS IN THIS PRETEND RELIGION) AND WILL BE THE MYSTICAL BODY OF THE ANTICHRIST OR WORLD DICTATOR OR SUBSTITUTE FOR CHRIST (AS WELL AS THE FALSE VATICAN POPE)(AS THESE TWO WILL BE HAND IN GLOVE IN PARTNERSHIP DURING THE 7 YEAR DECEPTION TRIBULATION PERIOD OF DEATH DESTRUCTION AND THE WORST DECEPTION IN HISTORY).
THE MYSTICAL BODY ON EARTH TODAY WILL HAVE ITS JUDAS ISCARIOT.AND HE WILL BE THE FALSE POPE.SATAN WILL RECRUIT HIM FROM AMOUNG OUR CARDINALS (BISHOPS.)(CATHOLIC CARDINALS TO BE MADE THE POPE)(ONE BECOMES THE FALSE POPE PETER THE ROMAN WHICH SHOULD BE THE NEXT POPE FOLLOWING BENEDICT 16TH WHO IS CURRENTLY THE VATICAN POPE.)
HOW THE NEXT POPE IS ELECTED
http://www.catholic-pages.com/pope/election.asp
http://people.howstuffworks.com/papacy3.htm
REV 17:4
4 And the woman (FALSE POPE) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
VATICAN COLLEDGE OF CARDINALS
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_index_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_aa_index_nonelettori_biografie_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_aa_index_elettori_biografie_en.html
REV 17:2
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.(VATICAN IN POLITICS)
BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH COUNTRIES-THE VATICAN
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/documents/rc_seg-st_20010123_holy-see-relations_en.html
He said that "many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy," and while he had never considered marriage himself, "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married."O'Brien, 74, will form part of the conclave of cardinals that chooses the next pontiff, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.Benedict announced earlier this month that he will step down Feb. 28 — the first pope to resign in almost 600 years.The cardinal said that the next pope would be free to consider changing church policy on issues, such as celibacy for priests, that were not "basic dogmatic beliefs."He said that "we know at the present time in some branches of the church — in some branches of the Catholic church — priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine origin and it could get discussed again."In recent years a number of traditionalist Anglicans opposed to the ordination of women and other changes have joined the Roman Catholic Church. The pope granted special dispensation for married Anglican clergy to stay married and be ordained in the Catholic Church.O'Brien also said it was time to think seriously about having a pope from outside Europe.He said he would be "open to a pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever."
VATICAN CITY (AP) — If evidence was ever needed that the next pope must urgently overhaul the powerful Vatican bureaucracy called the Curia, the scandal over Pope Benedict XVI's private papers is Exhibit A.The pope's own butler stole sensitive internal letters to the pontiff
and passed them off to a journalist, who then published them in a
blockbuster book. The butler did it, he admitted himself, to expose the
"evil and corruption" in the Vatican's frescoed halls that he believed
was hidden from Benedict by those who were supposed to serve him.And if that original sin weren't enough, the content of the leaks
confirmed that the next pope has a very messy house to clean up. The
letters and memos exposed petty wrangling, corruption and cronyism at
the highest levels of the Catholic Church. The dirt ranged from the
awarding of Vatican contracts to a plot, purportedly orchestrated by
senior Vatican officials, to out a prominent Catholic newspaper editor
as gay.Ordinary Catholics might not think that dysfunction in the Apostolic
Palace has any effect on their lives, but it does: The Curia makes
decisions on everything from bishop appointments to church closings to
marriage annulments and the disciplining of pedophile priests. Papal
politics plays into the prayers the faithful say at Mass since missal
translations are decided by committee in Rome. Donations the faithful
make each year for the pope are held by a Vatican bank whose lack of
financial transparency has fueled bitter internal debate.And so after 35 years under two "scholar" popes who paid scant
attention to the internal governance of the Catholic Church, a chorus is
growing that the next pontiff must have a solid track record managing a
complicated bureaucracy. Cardinals who will vote in next month's
conclave are openly talking about the need for reform, particularly
given the dysfunction exposed by the scandal."It has to be attended to," said Chicago Cardinal Francis George.
With typical understatement, he called the leaks scandal "a novel event
for us."Cardinal Walter Kasper, a German who retired in 2010 as the head of
the Vatican's ecumenical office, said the Curia must adapt itself to the
21st century."There needs to be more coordination between the offices, more
collegiality and communication," he told the Corriere della Sera
newspaper. "Often the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is
doing."Sandro Magister, the Vatican analyst who most closely follows the comings, goings and internecine feuds of Vatican officials, said the "disaster" of governance began unfolding in the 1980s, in the early years of Pope John Paul II's pontificate."John Paul II was completely disinterested in the Curia; his vision
was completely directed to the outside," Magister said in an interview.
"He allowed a proliferation of feuds, small centers of power that fought
among themselves with much ambition, careerism and betrayals.""This accumulated and ruined it for the next pope," he said.
Benedict was well aware of the problems, having spent nearly a quarter-century in the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. But he never entered into the Vatican's political fray as a cardinal — and as pope left it to his No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, to do the job.Bertone, though, became a lightning rod for division within the Curia. A canonist, he had no diplomatic experience coming into the job, and the main battle lines drawn in the Curia today come down to his loyalists and those still loyal to his predecessor Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Taken as a whole, the leaked documents seemed aimed at undermining Bertone.To be fair, the Vatican under Benedict made great strides on some internal governance fronts: the pope insisted on greater financial transparency, and the Vatican passed a key European anti-money laundering test last summer. He insisted on a Vatican trial, open to journalists, for the butler who betrayed him. And as cardinal, after priestly sex abuse cases bounced for years among Vatican offices, the former Joseph Ratzinger took them over himself in 2001.And very early on in his papacy, Benedict made it clear there was no place in the priesthood for men who sought out power. In a May 2006 homily to newly ordained priests, Benedict warned them against "careerism, the attempt to 'get ahead,' to gain a position through the church, to make use of and not to serve."Some analysts speculate that the revelations from the leaks at the very least accelerated Benedict's decision to resign. In early 2012, he appointed three trusted cardinals to investigate beyond the criminal case involving his butler. They interviewed widely inside the Curia and out and delivered their final report in December. Its contents are sealed, though speculation is rife that the cardinals minced no words in revealing the true nature of the Curia.Benedict's biographer, Peter Seewald, asked Benedict in August how badly the scandal had affected him. He replied that he was not falling into "desperation or world-weariness," yet admitted the leaks scandal "is simply incomprehensible to me," according to a recent article Seewald penned for the German magazine Focus.The Holy See's bureaucracy is organized as any government, though it most closely resembles a medieval court — given that the pope is an absolute monarch, with full executive, legal and judicial powers.There's a legal office, an economic affairs office and an office dedicated to the world's 400,000 priests. Three tribunals tend to ecclesiastical cases and a host of departments take up spiritual matters: making saints, keeping watch on doctrine and the newest office created by Benedict, spreading the faith.John Paul's 1988 apostolic constitution "Pastor Bonus" sets out the competencies of the various congregations and councils, and they function more or less as independent fiefdoms, albeit in consultation with one another when the subject matter requires. In the end, though, the real power lies with two departments: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the secretariat of state, which can block virtually any initiative of another office."Who is influential isn't so much dependent on what your office is or your title but whether you have access to the king, or in this case the pope," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of "Inside the Vatican," a bible of sorts for understanding the Vatican Curia.The same could be said for any executive branch. But in the case of the Vatican, there's a difference."Obama can fire anybody he wants from his cabinet," Reese said. "When you make someone a bishop, you make him a bishop for life. When you make him a cardinal you make him a prince of the church. What do you do with a cardinal (who doesn't work out)? He can't go to K Street and get a job as a lobbyist."Though increasingly international, the Curia is also a very Italian creature, which affects its priorities, weaknesses and style of governance. "Genealogy is important, who begat whom," noted one recently departed Vatican official, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as to not antagonize former colleagues.
The typical Italian way of getting things done via personal stamps of approval, or "raccomandanzione," guides introductions. The Italian way of persuasion, less overt power play than Machiavellian machinations, governs consensus-building and decision-making.Italian commentator Massimo Franco recently concluded on the pages of Corriere della Sera that the Vatican bureaucracy today is simply "ungovernable."Bishop Charles Scicluna, who worked with the pope when he was at the doctrine office, said the problem with the Curia is that the power is so great — and so close by."I think sacred power, with all its trappings, is probably one of the most seductive things in the world if you don't approach it with the right spirit," he said in an interview.Though it's open to interpretation, Benedict's final homily as pope could be read as a clear message to the cardinals who will choose his successor.Two days after announcing he would resign, a weary Benedict told his flock gathered in St. Peter's Basilica for Ash Wednesday Mass to live their lives as Christians in order to show the true face of the church — a church, he said, which is often "defiled.""I think in particular about the attacks against the unity of the church, the divisions in the ecclesial body," he said. He told those gathered that "moving beyond individualisms and rivalries is a humble and precious sign for those who are far from the faith or indifferent to it."The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said it was wrong to interpret the pope's words as being directed at the Vatican Curia, saying the pope's message was intended as a call for unity among all Christians, a priority of his as pontiff."Differences and diversity of opinion are part of the normal dynamic of any institution or community," Lombardi said. He said the way the Vatican's governance problems are often described "do not correspond to reality."___Rachel Zoll in New York and George Jahn in Vienna contributed.Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
JACK VANIMPE-CRISLAM AND POPES RESIGNATION
http://www.thegospel.com/clients/jvim-jack-van-impe-ministries/mediaplayer.asp?ID=310&vID=61
PROPHECY OF THE POPES-HAL LINDSEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIt9P7xMIGU
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
REVELATION 17:1-6,9,15-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.(BOMBS-NUKE)
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.(VATICAN)
BISHOP SHEEN (CATHOLIC PREIST)-THE FALSE POPE WILL HAVE A RELIGION WITHOUT A CROSS,A RELIGION WITHOUT A WORLD TO COME,A RELIGION TO DESTROY RELIGIONS.THERE WILL BE A COUNTERFEIT CHURCH.CHRISTS CHURCH WILL BE ONE,AND THE FALSE POPE WILL CREATE THE OTHER.THE FALSE CHURCH WILL BE WORLDLY,ECUMENICAL AND GLOBAL.IT WILL BE A LOOSE FEDERATION OF CHURCHES.(WORLD COUNCIL OF LUKEWARM CHURCHES) AND RELIGIONS (ISLAM AND THE NEW AGE MOVEMENTS INCLUDED) FORMING SOME TYPE OF GLOBAL ASSOCIATION,A WORLD PARLIAMONT OF CHURCHES.IT WILL BE EMPTIED OF ALL DIVINE CONTENT (NO JESUS IN THIS PRETEND RELIGION) AND WILL BE THE MYSTICAL BODY OF THE ANTICHRIST OR WORLD DICTATOR OR SUBSTITUTE FOR CHRIST (AS WELL AS THE FALSE VATICAN POPE)(AS THESE TWO WILL BE HAND IN GLOVE IN PARTNERSHIP DURING THE 7 YEAR DECEPTION TRIBULATION PERIOD OF DEATH DESTRUCTION AND THE WORST DECEPTION IN HISTORY).
THE MYSTICAL BODY ON EARTH TODAY WILL HAVE ITS JUDAS ISCARIOT.AND HE WILL BE THE FALSE POPE.SATAN WILL RECRUIT HIM FROM AMOUNG OUR CARDINALS (BISHOPS.)(CATHOLIC CARDINALS TO BE MADE THE POPE)(ONE BECOMES THE FALSE POPE PETER THE ROMAN WHICH SHOULD BE THE NEXT POPE FOLLOWING BENEDICT 16TH WHO IS CURRENTLY THE VATICAN POPE.)
HOW THE NEXT POPE IS ELECTED
http://www.catholic-pages.com/pope/election.asp
http://people.howstuffworks.com/papacy3.htm
REV 17:4
4 And the woman (FALSE POPE) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
VATICAN COLLEDGE OF CARDINALS
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_index_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_aa_index_nonelettori_biografie_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_aa_index_elettori_biografie_en.html
REV 17:2
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.(VATICAN IN POLITICS)
BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH COUNTRIES-THE VATICAN
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/documents/rc_seg-st_20010123_holy-see-relations_en.html
Cardinal: Married Catholic priests a possibility
– FEB 23,13
LONDON (AP) — Roman Catholic priests should be allowed to marry and have children, Britain's most senior Catholic cleric said Friday.Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who heads the Roman Catholic Church in
Scotland, said the requirement for priestly celibacy is "not of divine
origin" and could be reconsidered.
He told BBC Scotland that "the celibacy of the clergy, whether priests should marry — Jesus didn't say that."He said that "many priests have found it very difficult to cope with celibacy," and while he had never considered marriage himself, "I would be very happy if others had the opportunity of considering whether or not they could or should get married."O'Brien, 74, will form part of the conclave of cardinals that chooses the next pontiff, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.Benedict announced earlier this month that he will step down Feb. 28 — the first pope to resign in almost 600 years.The cardinal said that the next pope would be free to consider changing church policy on issues, such as celibacy for priests, that were not "basic dogmatic beliefs."He said that "we know at the present time in some branches of the church — in some branches of the Catholic church — priests can get married, so that is obviously not of divine origin and it could get discussed again."In recent years a number of traditionalist Anglicans opposed to the ordination of women and other changes have joined the Roman Catholic Church. The pope granted special dispensation for married Anglican clergy to stay married and be ordained in the Catholic Church.O'Brien also said it was time to think seriously about having a pope from outside Europe.He said he would be "open to a pope from anywhere if I thought it was the right man, whether it was Europe or Asia or Africa or wherever."
Pope reflects on "evil" in last address to Curia
– 2 hrs 19 mins ago FEB 23,13
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI
has lamented the "evil, suffering and corruption" that has defaced
God's creation in a final address to the officials who run the Vatican
bureaucracy.Benedict spoke off-the-cuff Saturday at the end of a weeklong
spiritual retreat coinciding with the Catholic Church's solemn Lenten
season. For the past week, Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi
has led the Vatican on meditations that have covered everything from
the family to denouncing the "divisions, dissent, careerism, jealousies"
that afflict the Vatican bureaucracy.Ravasi's blunt critique of the dysfunction within the Vatican Curia,
exposed by the leaked document scandal, comes as cardinals from around
the world are arriving for the final days of Benedict's papacy and the
conclave to elect his successor. Bureaucratic reform is a major priority
for the next pope.
Vatican blasts 'false' pre-conclave reporting
By | Associated Press – 47 mins ago FEB 23,13
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican lashed out Saturday at the media for what it said has been a run of defamatory and false reports before the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI's successor, saying they were an attempt to influence the election.Italian newspapers have been rife
with unsourced reports in recent days about the contents of a secret
dossier prepared for the pope by three cardinals who investigated the
origins of the 2012 scandal over leaked Vatican documents.The reports have suggested the revelations in the dossier, given to
Benedict in December, were a factor in his decision to resign. The pope
himself has said merely that he doesn't have the "strength of mind and
body" to carry on.On Saturday, the Vatican secretariat of state
said the Catholic Church has for centuries insisted on the independence
of its cardinals to elect their pope. Now, it said, the "pressures of
public opinion" is in play in a bid to influence their vote."It is deplorable that as we draw closer to the time of the beginning
of the conclave ... that there be a widespread distribution of often
unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories that cause
serious damage to persons and institutions."It was issued as Benedict met for
the last time with the Vatican bureaucracy before stepping down Feb.
28. The occasion was the final session of the Vatican's Lenten spiritual
retreat, a weeklong series of meditations composed by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, himself a papal contender.In one of his final meditations Friday, Ravasi denounced the
"divisions, dissent, careerism, jealousies" that afflict the Vatican
bureaucracy — divisions that were exposed by the leaks of documents
taken from the pope's study. The documents revealed the petty wrangling,
corruption and cronyism and even allegations of a gay plot at the
highest levels of the Catholic Church.The three cardinals who investigated the theft of the documents had
wide-ranging powers to interview even cardinals to get to the bottom of
the dynamics within the Curia — the Vatican bureaucracy — that resulted
in the gravest Vatican security breach in modern times.Benedict has referred obliquely to the Vatican's dysfunction in
recent days, deploring how the church is often "defiled" by attacks and
divisions and urging its members to overcome "pride and egoism."On Saturday, in his final comments to the Curia, he lamented the
"evil, suffering and corruption" that has defaced God's creation. But he
also thanked the Vatican bureaucrats for eight years of work, love and
faith and promised them he would continue to be spiritually close to
them in retirement.___Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
Vatican denies scandal ahead of pope's exit |
Spokesman condemns allegations in Italian media that Pope Benedict XVI's resignation linked to secret cardinals' report.Last Modified: 23 Feb 2013 13:02-The pope appointed three retired cardinals in 2010 to investigate alleged corruption within the Vatican [Reuters] The Vatican has condemned Italian media reports of
intrigue, corruption and blackmail among senior prelates, saying these
could be a form of pressure to sway voting in next month's conclave to
elect Pope Benedict XVI's successor.
|
| Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, on Saturday dismissed as
"gossip, disinformation and sometimes calumny" the reports, which are
linked to an investigation by a committee of cardinals last year over a
series of damaging leaks of confidential papal documents."There are people who are trying to take advantage of this moment of
surprise and disorientation of weak spirits to sow confusion and
discredit the Church and its government," Lombardi said in a statement
on Vatican radio's website.Earlier, The Panorama weekly and The Repubblica daily
newspapers reported that Benedict's decision to resign was triggered by
the secret report compiled by three retired cardinals.The report allegedly contained details of corruption and of blackmail
attempts against gay Vatican clergymen, as well as favouritism based on
gay relationships.Both publications quoted a source with knowledge of the investigation
as saying that the cardinals' conclusions "revolve around the sixth and
seventh commandments," namely "Thou shall not commit adultery" and
"Thou shall not steal."Referring to the upcoming papal election, Lombardi said there was
"unacceptable pressure to condition the vote of one or other member of
the college of cardinals, who might be disliked for one reason or
another"."People who think in terms of money, sex and power and see different
realities through this prism cannot see the Church any differently," he
said. 'Religious hypocrisy' Last year, Benedict appointed the three retired cardinals to investigate, in parallel with a police inquiry, a scandal known as "Vatileaks", which led to the conviction and later pardoning of the pope's former butler Paolo Gabriele.The secret report was to be for the pope's eyes only, but Italian media reported they will also share their conclusions with the cardinals who will elect the next pope, ahead of the pontiff's resignation next week.At his final public mass last week, Benedict himself condemned "religious hypocrisy" and urged an end to "individualism and rivalry"."The face of the church ... is at times disfigured. I am thinking in particular of the sins against the unity of the church," he said, without elaborating.The run-up to conclaves to elect a new pope are often accompanied by rumours and gossip in Italian media, as rival factions battle for influence. There was a twist on Friday when Benedict replaced Monsignor Ettore Balestrero, a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in the Secretariat of State with a highly influential role in Vatican diplomacy and the Vatican bank's foreign relations.The 47-year-old is being sent as Vatican envoy to Colombia - which could be seen as a demotion.Lombardi said the suggestion that the pope had made the appointment to get Balestrero out of the Vatican was "absurd, totally without foundation".He said the appointment had been decided weeks ago and that the Vatican had waited for the Colombian government's official agreement before announcing it. |
Conclave down to 116 after Indonesian drops out
– FEB 22,13
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The conclave to elect the next pope
is now down to 116 cardinals after one decided he is too old and infirm
to participate.AsiaNews, a Vatican-affiliated missionary news agency, said Thursday that Indonesia's 78-year-old Cardinal Julius Darmaatjadja, emeritus archbishop of Jakarta, cited poor eyesight and inability to have an assistant inside the Sistine Chapel as reasons for staying home.All cardinals under age 80 are eligible to vote. The full College of Cardinals must approve anyone renouncing their duty, but it has done so in the past for cases of illness or infirmity.No date for the conclave has been set, but it's expected within two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI resigns Feb. 28.The Vatican spokesman said Thursday he didn't anticipate any new cardinal nominations before Benedict's resignation.
Pope moves top official amid leaks fallout
By | Associated Press – 2 hrs 17 mins ago FEB 22,13
VATICAN CITY (AP) — In one of his last appointments, the pope on Friday transferred a top official from the Vatican's secretariat of state to Colombia amid swirling media speculation about the contents of a confidential report into the Vatican's leaks scandal.The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, stressed the transfer of Monsignor Ettore Balestrero
had been months in the works, was an important promotion and had
nothing to do with what the Vatican considers baseless reporting.Balestrero
was named undersecretary of the Vatican's Foreign Ministry in 2009 and,
among other tasks, has been a lead player in the Holy See's efforts to
get on the "white list" of financially transparent countries. Pope Benedict XVI, who steps down Feb. 28, named him ambassador, or nunzio, to Colombia.Italian newspapers for days have been rife with unsourced reports
about the contents of the dossier, presented to Benedict in December,
that three cardinals prepared after investigating the origins of the
leaks. The scandal erupted last year after papers taken from the pope's
desk were published in a blockbuster book. The pope's butler was
convicted in October of aggravated theft, and later pardoned.The Vatican
has refused to comment on the media reports, which have claimed the
contents of the dossier were a factor in Benedict's decision to resign.
Benedict himself has said he simply no longer has the "strength of mind
and body" to be pope. Lombardi has indicated that Benedict would meet
with the three cardinals before stepping down.Balestrero was head of the Holy See's delegation to the Council of
Europe's Moneyval committee, which evaluated the Vatican's anti-money
laundering and anti-terror financing measures. The Vatican submitted
itself to Moneyval's evaluation in a bid to improve its reputation in
the financial world.The Vatican passed the test on the first try in August, and Moneyval
said it had made great progress in a short amount of time. But the Holy
See received poor or failing grades for its financial watchdog agency
and its bank, long the source of some of the Vatican's more storied
scandals.Some of the documents leaked in the midst of the "Vatileaks" scandal
concerned differences of opinion about the level of financial
transparency the Holy See should provide about the bank, the Institute
for Religious Works.The Vatican is now working to
comply with Moneyval's recommendations before the next round of
evaluation. Lombardi said the lengthy Moneyval process would simply be
handled by someone else now that Balestrero is leaving. The nunciature
in Colombia is one of the most important in Latin America, and Vatican officials said the move was a clear promotion for Balestrero.Lombardi noted that the nunciature is the headquarters for the Latin
American bishops' conference as well as the regional organization for
religious orders, and is usually headed by someone who has had
experience as a nuncio in at least two other postings."The procedure for this nomination was started some time ago, as
evidenced by the fact that the agreement (with Colombia) has already
been reached," Lombardi told The Associated Press. "It was started well
before the pope's resignation, so it's completely unfounded to link it
to the news articles in recent days."Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, the Opus Dei canon lawyer who headed
the cardinal's commission, has spoken in vague terms about the report
and the well-known divisions within the Vatican Curia that were exposed
by the leaks."Certainly, it has been said that this was a hypothesis behind the
pope's resignation, but I think we need to respect his conscience,"
Herranz told Radio24 last week. "Certainly, there are divisions and
there have always been divisions, as well as violent contrapositions
along ideological lines. These aren't new, but yes, they have a weight."Herranz, who was the Vatican's top legislator before retiring, was
joined on the commission by Slovak Cardinal Jozef Tomko and Italian
Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgio. The committee had broad-ranging powers to
question Vatican officials, including cardinals, beyond the purely
criminal scope of investigation carried out by Vatican prosecutors
against the butler.___Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
Vatican feuds, fiefdoms, betrayals await next pope
By | Associated Press – FEB 21,13- View PhotoAssociated Press/L'Osservatore Romano, ho, files - FILE - This Sept. 15, 2006 file photo released by the Vatican's newspaper L'Osservatore Romano shows Pope Benedict XVI, at center, presiding a meeting with
Benedict was well aware of the problems, having spent nearly a quarter-century in the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. But he never entered into the Vatican's political fray as a cardinal — and as pope left it to his No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, to do the job.Bertone, though, became a lightning rod for division within the Curia. A canonist, he had no diplomatic experience coming into the job, and the main battle lines drawn in the Curia today come down to his loyalists and those still loyal to his predecessor Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Taken as a whole, the leaked documents seemed aimed at undermining Bertone.To be fair, the Vatican under Benedict made great strides on some internal governance fronts: the pope insisted on greater financial transparency, and the Vatican passed a key European anti-money laundering test last summer. He insisted on a Vatican trial, open to journalists, for the butler who betrayed him. And as cardinal, after priestly sex abuse cases bounced for years among Vatican offices, the former Joseph Ratzinger took them over himself in 2001.And very early on in his papacy, Benedict made it clear there was no place in the priesthood for men who sought out power. In a May 2006 homily to newly ordained priests, Benedict warned them against "careerism, the attempt to 'get ahead,' to gain a position through the church, to make use of and not to serve."Some analysts speculate that the revelations from the leaks at the very least accelerated Benedict's decision to resign. In early 2012, he appointed three trusted cardinals to investigate beyond the criminal case involving his butler. They interviewed widely inside the Curia and out and delivered their final report in December. Its contents are sealed, though speculation is rife that the cardinals minced no words in revealing the true nature of the Curia.Benedict's biographer, Peter Seewald, asked Benedict in August how badly the scandal had affected him. He replied that he was not falling into "desperation or world-weariness," yet admitted the leaks scandal "is simply incomprehensible to me," according to a recent article Seewald penned for the German magazine Focus.The Holy See's bureaucracy is organized as any government, though it most closely resembles a medieval court — given that the pope is an absolute monarch, with full executive, legal and judicial powers.There's a legal office, an economic affairs office and an office dedicated to the world's 400,000 priests. Three tribunals tend to ecclesiastical cases and a host of departments take up spiritual matters: making saints, keeping watch on doctrine and the newest office created by Benedict, spreading the faith.John Paul's 1988 apostolic constitution "Pastor Bonus" sets out the competencies of the various congregations and councils, and they function more or less as independent fiefdoms, albeit in consultation with one another when the subject matter requires. In the end, though, the real power lies with two departments: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the secretariat of state, which can block virtually any initiative of another office."Who is influential isn't so much dependent on what your office is or your title but whether you have access to the king, or in this case the pope," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of "Inside the Vatican," a bible of sorts for understanding the Vatican Curia.The same could be said for any executive branch. But in the case of the Vatican, there's a difference."Obama can fire anybody he wants from his cabinet," Reese said. "When you make someone a bishop, you make him a bishop for life. When you make him a cardinal you make him a prince of the church. What do you do with a cardinal (who doesn't work out)? He can't go to K Street and get a job as a lobbyist."Though increasingly international, the Curia is also a very Italian creature, which affects its priorities, weaknesses and style of governance. "Genealogy is important, who begat whom," noted one recently departed Vatican official, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as to not antagonize former colleagues.
The typical Italian way of getting things done via personal stamps of approval, or "raccomandanzione," guides introductions. The Italian way of persuasion, less overt power play than Machiavellian machinations, governs consensus-building and decision-making.Italian commentator Massimo Franco recently concluded on the pages of Corriere della Sera that the Vatican bureaucracy today is simply "ungovernable."Bishop Charles Scicluna, who worked with the pope when he was at the doctrine office, said the problem with the Curia is that the power is so great — and so close by."I think sacred power, with all its trappings, is probably one of the most seductive things in the world if you don't approach it with the right spirit," he said in an interview.Though it's open to interpretation, Benedict's final homily as pope could be read as a clear message to the cardinals who will choose his successor.Two days after announcing he would resign, a weary Benedict told his flock gathered in St. Peter's Basilica for Ash Wednesday Mass to live their lives as Christians in order to show the true face of the church — a church, he said, which is often "defiled.""I think in particular about the attacks against the unity of the church, the divisions in the ecclesial body," he said. He told those gathered that "moving beyond individualisms and rivalries is a humble and precious sign for those who are far from the faith or indifferent to it."The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said it was wrong to interpret the pope's words as being directed at the Vatican Curia, saying the pope's message was intended as a call for unity among all Christians, a priority of his as pontiff."Differences and diversity of opinion are part of the normal dynamic of any institution or community," Lombardi said. He said the way the Vatican's governance problems are often described "do not correspond to reality."___Rachel Zoll in New York and George Jahn in Vienna contributed.Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
Papal resignation linked to inquiry into 'Vatican gay officials', says paper
Pope's
staff decline to confirm or deny La Repubblica claims linking
'Vatileaks' affair and discovery of 'blackmailed gay clergy'
A potentially explosive report has linked the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI to the discovery of a network of gay prelates in the Vatican, some of whom – the report said – were being blackmailed by outsiders.
The pope's spokesman declined to confirm or deny the report, which was carried by the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica.The paper said the pope had taken the decision on 17 December that he was going to resign – the day he received a dossier compiled by three cardinals delegated to look into the so-called "Vatileaks" affair.Last May Pope Benedict's butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested and charged with having stolen and leaked papal correspondence that depicted the Vatican as a seething hotbed of intrigue and infighting.According to La Repubblica, the dossier comprising "two volumes of almost 300 pages – bound in red" had been consigned to a safe in the papal apartments and would be delivered to the pope's successor upon his election.The newspaper said the cardinals described a number of factions, including one whose members were "united by sexual orientation".In an apparent quotation from the report, La Repubblica said some Vatican officials had been subject to "external influence" from laymen with whom they had links of a "worldly nature". The paper said this was a clear reference to blackmail.It quoted a source "very close to those who wrote [the cardinal's report]" as saying: "Everything revolves around the non-observance of the sixth and seventh commandments."The seventh enjoins against theft. The sixth forbids adultery, but is linked in Catholic doctrine to the proscribing of homosexual acts.La Repubblica said the cardinals' report identified a series of meeting places in and around Rome. They included a villa outside the Italian capital, a sauna in a Rome suburb, a beauty parlour in the centre, and a former university residence that was in use by a provincial Italian archbishop.Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said: "Neither the cardinals' commission nor I will make comments to confirm or deny the things that are said about this matter. Let each one assume his or her own responsibilities. We shall not be following up on the observations that are made about this."He added that interpretations of the report were creating "a tension that is the opposite of what the pope and the church want" in the approach to the conclave of cardinals that will elect Benedict's successor. Another Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, alluded to the dossier soon after the pope announced his resignation on 11 February, describing its contents as "disturbing".The three-man commission of inquiry into the Vatileaks affair was headed by a Spanish cardinal, Julián Herranz. He was assisted by Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, a former archbishop of Palermo, and the Slovak cardinal Jozef Tomko, who once headed the Vatican's department for missionaries.Pope Benedict has said he will stand down at the end of this month; the first pope to resign voluntarily since Celestine V more than seven centuries ago. Since announcing his departure he has twice apparently referred to machinations inside the Vatican, saying that divisions "mar the face of the church", and warned against "the temptations of power".La Repubblica's report was the latest in a string of claims that a gay network exists in the Vatican. In 2007 a senior official was suspended from the congregation, or department, for the priesthood, after he was filmed in a "sting" organised by an Italian television programme while apparently making sexual overtures to a younger man.
In 2010 a chorister was dismissed for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting. A few months later a weekly news magazine used hidden cameras to record priests visiting gay clubs and bars and having sex.The Vatican does not condemn homosexuals. But it teaches that gay sex is "intrinsically disordered". Pope Benedict has barred sexually active gay men from studying for the priesthood.
The pope's spokesman declined to confirm or deny the report, which was carried by the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica.The paper said the pope had taken the decision on 17 December that he was going to resign – the day he received a dossier compiled by three cardinals delegated to look into the so-called "Vatileaks" affair.Last May Pope Benedict's butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested and charged with having stolen and leaked papal correspondence that depicted the Vatican as a seething hotbed of intrigue and infighting.According to La Repubblica, the dossier comprising "two volumes of almost 300 pages – bound in red" had been consigned to a safe in the papal apartments and would be delivered to the pope's successor upon his election.The newspaper said the cardinals described a number of factions, including one whose members were "united by sexual orientation".In an apparent quotation from the report, La Repubblica said some Vatican officials had been subject to "external influence" from laymen with whom they had links of a "worldly nature". The paper said this was a clear reference to blackmail.It quoted a source "very close to those who wrote [the cardinal's report]" as saying: "Everything revolves around the non-observance of the sixth and seventh commandments."The seventh enjoins against theft. The sixth forbids adultery, but is linked in Catholic doctrine to the proscribing of homosexual acts.La Repubblica said the cardinals' report identified a series of meeting places in and around Rome. They included a villa outside the Italian capital, a sauna in a Rome suburb, a beauty parlour in the centre, and a former university residence that was in use by a provincial Italian archbishop.Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said: "Neither the cardinals' commission nor I will make comments to confirm or deny the things that are said about this matter. Let each one assume his or her own responsibilities. We shall not be following up on the observations that are made about this."He added that interpretations of the report were creating "a tension that is the opposite of what the pope and the church want" in the approach to the conclave of cardinals that will elect Benedict's successor. Another Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, alluded to the dossier soon after the pope announced his resignation on 11 February, describing its contents as "disturbing".The three-man commission of inquiry into the Vatileaks affair was headed by a Spanish cardinal, Julián Herranz. He was assisted by Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, a former archbishop of Palermo, and the Slovak cardinal Jozef Tomko, who once headed the Vatican's department for missionaries.Pope Benedict has said he will stand down at the end of this month; the first pope to resign voluntarily since Celestine V more than seven centuries ago. Since announcing his departure he has twice apparently referred to machinations inside the Vatican, saying that divisions "mar the face of the church", and warned against "the temptations of power".La Repubblica's report was the latest in a string of claims that a gay network exists in the Vatican. In 2007 a senior official was suspended from the congregation, or department, for the priesthood, after he was filmed in a "sting" organised by an Italian television programme while apparently making sexual overtures to a younger man.
In 2010 a chorister was dismissed for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting. A few months later a weekly news magazine used hidden cameras to record priests visiting gay clubs and bars and having sex.The Vatican does not condemn homosexuals. But it teaches that gay sex is "intrinsically disordered". Pope Benedict has barred sexually active gay men from studying for the priesthood.
