
Vincenzo Pinto / AFP - Getty Images
Paolo Gabriele (bottom left), the pope's butler, was arrested three days ago for allegedly feeding documents to Italian journalists.
VATICAN CITY -- The worst crisis in Pope Benedict's pontificate deepened on Monday when Italian media said at least one cardinal was among those suspected of leaking sensitive documents as part of a power struggle at the top of the Catholic Church. The pope's butler, who has been arrested, has pledged to cooperate in the probe.
Leading Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and Il Messaggero reported Monday that the pope's butler — arrested three days ago for allegedly feeding documents to Italian journalists — clearly did not act alone, and that an unidentified cardinal is suspected of playing a major role.
The scandal exploded last week when within a few days the pope's butler was arrested, the head of the Vatican's own bank was abruptly dismissed and a book was published alleging conspiracies among the cardinals or "princes of the Church."
Vatican cops arrest pope's butler over leaked papers alleging corruption
However, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, denied the reports that a cardinal might be the next target of the "Vatileaks" probe. He said many Vatican officials were being questioned but insisted: "There is no cardinal under suspicion."
Meanwhile, the lawyer for the pope's butler says his client has pledged "full cooperation" in the investigation and wants the truth to come out.
On his final day in Cuba, Pope Benedict noted that the Cuban government has taken steps to allow greater freedom of religion, but still has room for improvement. Vatican analyst George Weigel talks about the Pope's message and his meeting with Fidel Castro.
The commitment by butler Paolo Gabriele to cooperate raises the specter that higher-ranking prelates may soon be named in the scandal. Leaks of confidential Vatican correspondence have shed light on power struggles and intrigue inside the highest levels of the Catholic Church.
Gabriele, the pope's personal butler since 2006, was arrested Wednesday evening after documents he had no business having were found inside his Vatican City apartment. He remains in detention in a Vatican detention facility, accused of theft, and has met with his wife and lawyers.
The 46-year-old father of three was always considered extremely loyal to Benedict and his predecessor, John Paul II, for whom he briefly served. Vatican insiders said they were baffled by his alleged involvement. Gabriele's lawyer, Carlo Fusco, reported Monday that Gabriele was "very serene and calm."
So far, Gabriele has been the only one arrested, but Lombardi stressed that the investigation was continuing.
Pope at Easter vigil: Technology without God is dangerous
The probe is working on two separate tracks. Vatican magistrates are pursuing the criminal investigation, and Gabriele was arrested as part of that. Separately, Pope Benedict appointed three cardinals to form an investigative commission to look beyond the narrow criminal scope of the leaks.
Those cardinals have the authority to interview broadly across the Vatican bureaucracy, Lombardi said, and can both share information with Vatican prosecutors and receive information from them.
The Catholic Church accused the nation's largest organization of American nuns of espousing "radical feminist" ideas. MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell discusses the charges with Sister Jeannine Gramick, who was once silenced by the Vatican, and Jeff Stone, communications director of Dignity USA.
They report directly to the pope, who Lombardi said, was being kept informed of the investigation.
Like a Dan Brown book? Vatican allows mobster to be exhumed
Benedict has not commented directly on the scandal.
Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators marched to St. Peter's Square on Sunday to demand information on Emanuela Orlandi, the daughter of a Vatican messenger who disappeared in 1983 at the age of 15.
Various theories have surrounded her disappearance, linking her kidnapping to an attempt to free the Turkish gunman who shot John Paul in 1981, or to alleged Vatican financial dealings with a Rome criminal gang.
The march came a day after an Italian prosecutor told CNN that a priest who used to run a church in Rome is under investigation on suspicion of complicity in her abduction.
Reuters and The Associated Press Press contributed to this report.
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- A baby made in India: a couple's dream comes true
- Two Americans held over death of student in Japan after Nicki Minaj concert
- UN Security Council condemns Syria massacre
- Iran state TV: We'll build second nuclear plant
- Video: Intrigue behind arrest of Pope’s butler
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world


There is so much people do not know about the catholic church. As is the case with any religion.
If everyone just lived by the 10 commandments we'd all be fine. Those are the only rules/laws that God set down.
All other rules are being interpeted by man from what they say the bible/koran/torah/etc... says per their agenda. Which was written by other men who had their own agenda.
I am catholic but now go by Christian. I can not and will not be associated with a church that has hurt so many people over time. They hid the pedophiles. They absolve the rich of whatever their money can buy. They have different rules from church to church. They do not allow women to be priests even though they were in the past.
They are a huge cooperation and are held accountable to no one except after death.
It is made up of many many many good and honest people however they have no power over the people in control.
Take it a step further and leave your new religion too!! Stop being brainwashed
Wonder when we'll get around to what's on those documents...why are they trying so hard to keep them secret?
Ah come on...scandal at the Vatican? Can't be true...those boys wear funny clothes but they don't do bad stuff do they?
I hope the next Pope is Cardinal Dolan from America. He looks like he won't take sh*t from anyone in Vatican City!
He will take sh*t if he wants to survive. They will convert him just as fast as the next. Or, he may already be a "wolf in sheeps clothing".
Now if only they could stop touching all those little boys.....................
The catholic church has a very negative pass read the history on the catholic church you be the judge if in deed it was the true church of God from the start would it have all that negative pass and present issues. I believe in a God but not in the wicked catholic god.
The whole Catholic church is a scandal!
What are they so afraid of us finding out? I do not believe in a religious organization whom doesn't do it's business in a transparent way..No secrets!
ALL of their filthy deeds that are so rooted in the foundation of the church. The church was built on filthy deeds. "They followers can't find out about our filthy deed, they may stop giving."
I am a Christian. I am not going to bash any other religion but I am going to say that it is ashame that churches and organizations are more efforts to protect themselves these days. The whole world are looking at Christians today and for a something like this to happen is unbelieveable.
We, as the children of God are told to be weary and beware of the people of the world. That the devil would come to us like 'wolves dressed in sheeps clothes' . Someone needs tighten the reins and get back to reading the BIBLE.
Do you not realize that the bible was translated over a span greater than 45 years through word of mouth and travel on foot by people who did not even know the original language of the word. Could you imagine how srewed up it gots by the time it went from one person to another over years and years. A story changes as it changes hands, when being told. And it was translated the way King James wanted it to be, in order to control and be popular among the people. And the bible was NOT read by mutitudes of people anyway. They were made to remain illiterate for a reason. The "bible that we read today is not the same words as the original. And you can believe that the original was written for political agenda. You have to dig deep, but you can find accurate information that proves this.
Motz in KC: No No! Don't get rid of the prostitutes!!
There are vacuum-sealed vaults in the Vatican library containing thousands upon thousands of ancient esoteric books from around the world that have been stolen and hoarded over the years and kept out of public circulation. The Catholic Church, which is the root of the Christian religion, is controlled by a secret society that has abused occult power to enslave the masses.
These so-called "religions" are built upon murder, torture, and lies and the only way any lie of this magnitude can survive is to create more and more lies and destroy the peoples who know the truth. Christianity is nothing more than a program. There is nothing religious or spiritual about it. Millions of people suffer depression, hopelessness, and confusion about life. The soul needs light and very few know this or actively practice the power meditation that will literally "save" their own souls. Because of a lack of knowledge and ignorance of the occult, Humanity as a whole has been placed under a powerful spell using occult power and indoctrinated not to question, concerning these three so-called "religions." This has been reinforced by centuries of Christians being duped into supplying their psychic energy and souls to be channeled into perpetuating this lie, which in the end, will only benefit a select few.
To really understand the Bible and see the truth, one must be very well educated in the occult. The mass mind is very powerful. When one studies long enough and acquires advanced knowledge of the occult, the truth is utterly shocking. The entire Judeo/Christian Bible is a hoax of catastrophic proportions with a very clear objective using subliminal means and the channeled psychic energy of believers.
Whenever Christianity or its cohorts took control of a country or region, the ancient spiritual texts and records were removed and/or destroyed and those who had spiritual knowledge were mass murdered by the Inquisition. This took out of circulation the very knowledge those in power have used and still use to manipulate the ignorant population using spiritual/occult power. The Bible is one of the most powerful subliminal tools used by a select few to enslave the masses. Most people are unaware of this because they lack knowledge regarding the occult, thought power, and psychic energy. The powers that be work to reinforce the belief that the occult, powers of the mind and spirit are nonsense or just plain bunk.
Today, the xtian church does not have the power it once had, yet, we have witnessed the xtian abuses of children, child rape, molestation and other vile acts that reveal the true nature of many xtians and the effects their "god" has upon his followers. The pedophilia scandals are just a small sample of what xtians are capable of.
Years ago, when the xtian church had complete control over government, human life and spirit, we can see from the inquisition, just how sick these people are and just what lengths they will go to get you to accept "jesus." Just as is seen in the numerous xtian abuses of children today, years ago, with the inquisition, girls as young as nine and boys as young as ten were tried for witchcraft. Children much younger were tortured to extract testimony against their parents.¹ Children were then flogged while they watched their parents burn.
A documented case in the Silesian town of Neisse reveals a huge oven was constructed, which over a ten year period, more than a thousand "condemned witches, some as young as two years old" were roasted alive.² Many victims were also extremely old, some in their 80's. This made no difference to the church.
The xtian church murdered, tortured, mutilated and destroyed millions and millions of lives both directly through the Inquisition and indirectly through all of the wars they incited. The damage and destruction this foul religion has perpetrated against humanity is almost beyond comprehension. Most people aren't even aware of the facts. Between the years of 1450-1600, the xtian church was responsible for the torture, and burning of some 30,000 alleged "witches."³
During the reign of the Roman Emporer Constantine CE 306-337 the doctrines of the xtian church were regarded as the foundation of law.4 Heretics (persons who opposed church teachings) were sought out, tortured and eventually murdered. Heresy was an offense against the state as well as the church. For hundreds of years, civil rulers tried to stamp out all heresy.
As early as CE 430, the church leaders declared heresy punishable by death. In CE 906, "The Canon Episcopi" was the first church body to expressly forbid the use of witchcraft.5 Before the Inquisition was fully underway, the church accepted heretics back into the fold, under terms it considered reasonable. The following is an example:
There is no precise date for the beginning of the Inquisition, most sources agree it manifested during the first 6 years of the reign of the catholic pope, Gregory IX, between 1227 and 1233. Pope Gregory IX who ruled from 1227-1241 is often referred to as the "Father of the Inquisition."
The Inquisition was a campaign of torture, mutilation, mass murder and destruction of human life perpetrated by xtians. The church increased in power until it had total control over human life, both secular and religious.
The Vatican wasn't satisfied with the progress made by regional leaders in rooting out heresy. Pope Innocent III commissioned his own inquisitors who answered directly to him. Their authority was made official in the papal bull of March 25th, 1199.7Innocent declared "anyone who attempted to construe a personal view of god which conflicted with the church dogma must be burned without pity."8
In 1254, to ease the job of the inquisitors, Pope Innocent IV decreed that accusers could remain anonymous, preventing the victims from confronting them and defending themselves. Many churches had a chest where informants could slip written accusations against their neighbors. Three years later, he authorized and officially condoned torture as a method of extracting confessions of heresy. 9
Victims were tortured in one room,
then, if they confessed, they were led away from the chamber into another room to confess to the inquisitors.
This way it could be claimed the confessions were given without the use of force. The Inquisitional law replaced common law. Instead of innocent until proven guilty, it was guilty until proven innocent.
Inquisitors grew very rich, accepting bribes and fines from the wealthy who paid to avoid being prosecuted. The wealthy were prime targets for the church who confiscated their property, land and everything they had for generations. The Inquisition took over all of the victims' possessions upon accusation. There was very little if any chance of proving one's self innocent, so this is one way the catholic church grew very wealthy. Pope Innocent stated that since "god" punished children for the sins of their parents, they had no right to be legal heirs to the property of their parents. Unless children came forth freely to denounce their parents, they were left penniless. Inquisitors even accused the dead of heresy, in some cases, as much as seventy years after their death. They exhumed and burned the accused's bones and confiscated all property from their heirs, leaving them with nothing. 10
The actions of the inquisitors had devestating effects on the economy that left entire communities totally impoverished while the church glutted with wealth. They also crippled the economy by holding certain professions suspect. Inquisitors believed the printed word to be a threat to the church and interfered with the communication brought about by the invention of the printing press in the 15th century. Maps, cartographers, traveling merchants and traders were all placed under intense suspicion; a threat to the church.
Although the church had begun murdering people it deemed heretics in the 4th century and again in 1022 at Orléan, papal statutes of 1231 insisted heretics suffer death by fire. Burning people to death prevented spilling of blood. John 15:6 "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."
The nazarene quote incited all of this.
The pedophilia witnessed today is just a small example of the insanity and the twisted, warped minds of most xians and where any power that they obtain leads to.
The Witch hunts, 1450-1750 were what R H Robbins (The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology) called "the shocking nightmare, the foulest crime and deepest shame of western civilization." In this 300 year period, the church stepped up the mass murder and systematic torture of innocent human beings. Torturers were allowed as much time as they needed to torture their victims. Most courts demanded that prior to the torture, the victim be thoroughly shaved, claiming that any Demon left undetected in the victim's body hair might intervene to deaden the pain that the torturers inflicted or answer for the victim.11
Doctors would be in attendance if it seemed the victim might die from the torture. The victim would then be allowed to recover a little before more torture was applied. If the victim died during the torture, inquisitors claimed the Devil intervened with the purpose of sparing the victim further pain or preventing them from revealing his secrets.12 Those who fainted had vinegar poured into their nostrils to revive them. The victim's families were required under law to reimburse the courts for the costs of torture. Entire estates were seized by the church. Priests blessed the torture instruments prior to their being used. Certain devices were employed to inflict the maximum pain; indisputable evidence of the sick xtian mind:
Judas Cradle
The victim was pulled up by a rope or chain and then lowered to the point. The torturer controlled the pressure by attaching weights to the victim or rocking or raising and dropping the victim from various heights.
Brodequin (The Boots)
The brodequin was used to crush the legs by tightening the device by hand, or using a mallet for knocking in the wedges to smash the bones until the bone marrow spurted out. People who passed out were further condemned as the losing of consciousness to be a trick from the Devil in order to escape pain.
Burning the feet. Oil, lard and grease were applied to the feet before roasting them over a fire. A screen was used to control or increase the pain as exposure to the fire was applied on and off for maximum suffering. Also, as a variation, some victims were forced to wear large leather or metal boots into which boiling water or molten lead was poured.
Hanging and the Strappado
The victim's hands were bound behind the back. They were then yanked up to the ceiling of the torture chamber by a pulley and a rope. Dislocation ensued. Xtians preferred this method, as it left no visible marks of torture. Heavy weights were often strapped to the victim to increase the pain and suffering.
Squassation was a more extreme form of the torture. This method entailed strapping weights as much as hundreds of pounds, pulling limbs from their sockets. Following this, the xtian inquisitor would quickly release the rope so they would fall towards the floor. At the last second, the xtian inquisitioner would again yank the rope. This dislocated virtually every bone in the victim's body. Four applications were considered enough to kill even the strongest of victims.
Many were hung upsidedown as well until strangulation ensued.
Heretic's Fork
This device was often used to silence the victim on the way to the burning stake, so they could not reveal what had occurred in the torture chamber or defend themselves in any way.
Ripping the flesh
Xtian clergy delighted in the tearing and ripping of the flesh. The Catholic church learned a human being could live until the skin was peeled down to the waist when skinned alive. Often, the rippers were heated to red hot and used on women's breasts and in the genitalia of both sexes.
Breast Rippers
The Iron Torture Chair was studded with spikes. The victim was strapped in nude and a fire was lit beneath the chair. Heavy objects were also be used. They were placed upon the victim to increase the pain of the spikes. Blows with mallets were also inflicted. Often, other torturous devices were applied with the chair such as the flesh ripping pincers, shown above and leg crushing vices.
Skull Crusher
This one speaks for itself. Xtian clergy preferred this device because it did not leave visible marks, unless the skull was completely crushed, which happened.
The Rack
The Rack, aka the Ladder was another device that was used extensively. The procedure was to place the nude or near nude victim horizontally on the ladder or rack. Ropes were used to bind the arms and legs like a tourniquet. The knot could be steadily twisted to draw tight the ropes and stretch the victim to where the muscles and ligaments tore and bones broke. Often, heavy objects were placed upon the victim to increase the pain. This was considered by the church to be "one of the milder forms of torture."
The Wheel
The nude victim, was stretched out, lying face downward on the ground or on the execution dock, with his or her arms and legs spread, and tied to stakes or iron rings. Wooden crosspieces were placed under the wrists, elbows, ankles, knees and hips. The inquisitor then smashed limb after limb and joint after joint, including the shoulders and hips, with the iron-tyred edge of the wheel, taking care not to bring about the death of the victim. There were splinters of smashed bones, blood spurted everywhere and the victim's entire skeleton was crushed and smashed. Thereafter the shattered limbs were “braided” into the spokes of the large wheel. The wheel has to be one of the most gruesome of all torture devices. The idea is, that the victims' limbs are shattered and entwined around the spokes of the wheel, attaching them to it.
The Thumbscrew
The thumbscrew was a device where the victim's thumbs were placed and systematically crushed. Similar devices were used on the toes. Thumbscrews were often applied at the same time as the strappado and other torture devices to inflict more pain.
The Water Torture
The victim was stripped and bound to a bench or table and a funnel was inserted and pressed down into his throat. Water was poured into the funnel in jug fulls with his/her nose being pinched, forcing him/her to swallow. After this was repeated enough times to where the victim's stomach was almost to burst, the bench or table was then tilted, with the victim's head pointing to the floor. The water in the stomach put painful pressure on the victim's lungs and heart. There was not only the incredible pain with this, but also, the feeling of suffocation. Inquisitors would also beat upon the stomach with mallets to the point of internal rupture.
In another variation, the victim was forced to swallow large quantities of water together with lengths of knotted cord. The cords were then violently yanked from the victim's mouth resulting in disemboweling.
The Iron Maiden aka the "virgin mary"
Covering the front side of this device was a statue of the virgin bitch, inside were spikes, sharp knives or nails. Levers would move the arms of the statue, crushing the victim against the knives and nails.
Other devices and methods:
NOW, THIS IS THE GOSPEL TRUTH. Thank you for posting.
This remnant of power of this faith tradition (The Vatican) or others is not indicative of mainstream believers who do wonderful compassionate works of caring and charity on a daily basis. Let us be in prayer for others in this situation and that God's will be done.
God will sort all this out, I promise you folks.
Ah those Italians love intrigue, stories, rumors, fables. And Americans are all cynical and can find no good in anything. There are good and bad in every profession...the Church is not excluded... I wish I can be perfect like the many people who post here!
The higher the Power ,the more you have corruption.People in all walks of life seems to get intoxicated with power & that's what we regular folks have to read about. One Giant Soap Opera but much more serious.
It does not reflect on the Religion alone.People of faith, don't worship , Pastors or the Pope. they worship God.
Thank you for confirming exactly what I was trying to say. The church is nothing more than a brainwashing, greedy heartless business that plays on people with promises of heaven; as long as YOU are paying them, they will continue to feed you this line of bull. But if you are down and out, "This is god's will, my child" AND the door is slammed. It is because the Church is nothing more than a bunch of power and money thirsy individuals that have used propaganda to fill their pockets; god, on the other hand has NOTHING to do with such heartless manmade religions. It's just ashame that so, so many have been robbed willingly over the years, but this is because it was NOT willingly when the church first started pillaging; they took by force in the beginning and the people began to talk among themselves and "knew" that they MUST teach their children to convert and submit in order to survive. This was then passed from children to children until we come to a place were we think we are just supposed to believe because it is right. Really? Take a step back, a deep breath and just look past the propaganda and the truth is actually revealed. Oh dear God, we have been brainwashed for thousands of years.
Good grief.....they are at it again. Not enough to rape little boys, sell babies in the black market, now they are laundering money etc. Why doesn't this surprise me? Raised a catholic, but saw early on that anyone that contributes to these "holy people" are just as guilty by supporting them. Plain and simple they are scum, and anyone that doesn't think so is brain washed. Ewwwwwww.....these women hating thugs are worse than the mob.
I WISH the Italian police would simply refuse to cooperate with the ILLEGAL demands of the catholic church. The church should have NO power or standing until every single priest that abused kids that's hiding in the vatican is returned to US and other countries for prosecution. These documents needed to be leaked the catholic church is an evil vile hate organization due to its stand on Women's rights and lesbian and gay rights. I hope someone burns the vatican down to the ground as it should not exist in this century the catholic church is a relic that has long outlived any usefullness.
One more comment and I'm going to quit. I want to know this: If the church preaches humility and generosity, I wonder if the Pope and his posse would give away all of the wealth to the poor and suffering and live just a modest life? I guarantee this would NEVER happen. Just goes to show you what their agenda really is.
Damn those Republicans!
That's what happens when the church leaders relinquish their mission of preaching the Gospel of Salvation to the people and instead get into politics to become a major player in the world scene. They have lost their usefulness to the kingdom, and instead have become a liability. As the Book says, "Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.." 1 Tim. 1:17
msn anchor is comparing apples and oranges..the church and state statute dose not apply as it says church cannot endorse a candidate it dose not say the church cannot defend itself against left wing Communist tyranny
like obama has sought to force the church to participate in something that is against its beliefs..contraception and abortion are against its beliefs and if obama continues this is a 1st amendment right...and nuns that want to be priests cannot happen as it is not a feminist issue...if Jesus wanted women to serve mass he would have had Mary Magdalen next to him not john and peter...as usual the ignorant main stream media wants to not only due obama hatchet work it wants to do San-tins as well..and stalling.
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS TRUMP group rights. The women working for the church have the right for their employer to pay for all health care costs the catholic church can go to effing hell they are too conservative too antiquated. Hell they already violate the US constitution by denying women as well as lgt people the right to be priests thus they have no standing on any moral issue. Women wanting to be priests is a feminist and discrimination issue I dont care what happened 2000 years ago this is the year 2012 where matters of equality matter. The church is the ignorant one. Anyone who believes the catholic church is right on any issue is a brainwashed moron.
I have a hard time seeing where organized religion is much different from any other cult.
As a Protestant Christian I've always had a "less than positive" opinion of The Catholic Church/Faith,
[I'won't detail my views here] but it seems in recent history it has been really showing and airing it's
"dirty laundry" [and] now seriously coming apart at the seams; not that I'll miss them.
Many are quoting the vatican as denying that any cardinal is involved. However, if the quote "There is no cardinal under suspicion." is true, then it's not a denial of any cardinal, it's just a denial of any specific cardinal. If the investigation is ongoing, then no conclusion (including "no cardinal is involved") is premature.
And we should all expect to see this investigation to be thorough and transparent.....the church has a lot of experience with inquisitions after all.
Blame it on Bush,,,But this time blame it Obama.. He would do anything to get rid of the Churches. let's face it he is a no good Muslim and wants America as we know it gone.
Bob Olson, your post is one of the most ignorant posts I've read in a long time.
Yes but our current [lying, traitorous, ***hole] "President" still STINKS and deserves to
be banished to a [Communist/Socialist] European country where he belongs [and will
easily fit in].
maybe you can't read..Or maybe you never will figure it out
Good for socialist also who have little regard for religion! Remember how religious Berry was before he became President and now how he is too busy on the golf course to go to church.Besides,where in Washington,D.C. is he going to find a similar pastor as the most Reverand Jerom. Wright!" Not god bless America,God Damn America!"Yes Berry loves you,this I know, because Jeromia told me so! I understand Berry has the Republican if they could trade colors of states from blue to red! More in line with his philosophy!