Pope’s Butler Has Holy Spirit As His Defense In Vatileaks Trial

By on September 17, 2012 in News 5

You have to hand it to Roman Catholics, they are consistent in their dogma. In what looks on its face like a garden variety case of petty theft, the Pope’s butler claims he stole the Pope’s papers on behalf of the Holy Spirit, who wants to wipe out corruption. We’ll find out soon if it’s a successful defense strategy. Via AFP/Yahoo News:

Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler and a Vatican computer technician will go on trial starting September 29 on charges of leaking secret papers that revealed fraud and intrigue in the Holy See.

The butler, Paolo Gabriele, has told investigators he was acting as an agent for the Holy Spirit to rid the Catholic Church of “evil and corruption”.

Photo: MatthiasKabel (CC)

He is accused of aggravated theft, which carries a sentence of up to six years in prison, in a scandal dubbed “Vatileaks” by the Italian press.

Gabriele will stand trial together with Claudio Sciarpelletti, who according to court papers played a secondary messenger role in an unprecedented scandal that has threatened to expose major rifts at the heart of the Catholic Church.

Gabriele is accused of passing confidential documents from Vatican offices including those of the pope’s personal secretary to investigative journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, who published them in a book “His Holiness” earlier this year…

[continues at AFP/Yahoo News]

, ,

  • http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

    > the Pope’s butler claims he stole the Pope’s papers on behalf of the Holy Spirit

    an insanity defense, brilliant
     

    • Ceausescu

      I’m not religious, but in this case, I interpret the “Holy Spirit” as a high sense of morality.

      His courage and morality may also be interpreted as insanity, since he didn’t fear the consequences.

      Personally, I respect what he did and I wish that all people, including myself, would “get on his level”.

  • Frlobo

    he looks to be well tutored to say the theft was an act of cleansing prompted by the spirit. which spirit human or divine? that’s the question. no body can get an answer as gabriele is not the lone actor. they have roped in a computer technician as a scapegoat for the real culprit/s behind the act. it only proves that the pope is very fallible though claims infallibility.

  • Liam_McGonagle

    Quote:  The butler, Paolo Gabriele, has told investigators he was acting as an agent for the Holy Spirit to rid the Catholic Church of “evil and corruption”.

    The simpler operation might just to avoid having anything to do with the Church.  Much less challenging than you might think.

  • Ittabena

    As a recovering Catholic I refuse to weigh in on this other than to say revoke their tax exempt status now. We are discussing a political organization that is masquerading as a religious one, and not a very good masquerade at that.