In the Vatileaks trial, Mgr Vallejo rebutted the accusation that he had passed a confidential medical report on Papa Bergoglio's health to the Chinese Secret Service in Dubai (sic; sic; sic), by saying that he only gave them a medical report on his own 82 year old Mother, with the name (and, one hopes, the gender) changed. He claimed that his leaky behaviour was occasioned by attempts to blackmail him after he was allegedly led slightly off the paths of monsignorial rectitude by a fellow defendant.
The trial was later adjourned after Ms Chaouqi's lawyer handed the court a certificate from her doctor saying that she needed riposo assoluto a letto. Eye-tie doctors, indeed!
I wonder what Johnny Chinaman makes of it all.
Oh my! This monsignor would be the one who was "close to" or a member of Opus Dei, I believe--as opposed to being a member of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross. That still won't help relations with the Vatican. I suppose this means that a codefendant either was working for the Chinese or connected the hapless Vallejo Balda with someone else who was working for the Chinese.
ReplyDeleteIn other Catholic Church related news, the Vatican (per Yahoo/CSM) reportedly sent a letter to an English jazz band known as the Rolling Stones (I jest re the characterization--that's a line from Rumpole) requesting that they not perform in Cuba on Good Friday. The request was declined--scheduling pressures, etc. No word on whether the rumors that the band will soon release a recording "No Sympathy for Francesco" are true or not. Hard to make this stuff up, but I'm trying.
ReplyDeleteAfter these last few years, I think I need a healthy dose of riposo assoluto a letto.
Let's hope that the 'Carry on' team never decide to make a comeback, this would be an ideal plotline. 'Carry on up the Tiber'?
ReplyDeleteOne question that comes to mind is why do the Chinese care about the Holy Father's health, which is often rerouted to be not the best, as seen from reports today. Do they think they will need to make some deal now before the next conclave, which might produce someone more confrontational? One could only hope.
ReplyDeleteThis is beginning to read like a Morris West novel – a “giallo” as the Italians say. But West’s characters had more credibility – and intelligence.
ReplyDeleteGiven other recent examples of Curial monsignori one might ask who selects these people and what are the selection criteria? In the business world some more highly-placed heads would roll.
In respect of the Monsignor's leaky behaviour, depending on his age, I should put it down to geriatric enuresis.
ReplyDeleteAs for the poor exhausted Ms, I am inclined to attribute it to a classic case of the vapours.
Then again, who am I to diagnose?