Vatican scandal could further grow

(CBS News) LONDON - A scandal that has rocked Vatican City threatened to expand Monday. So far, the only person under arrest is Pope Benedict XVI's butler. But few believe that he is the sole source of the leaks that have exposed corruption and double-dealing inside the leadership of the Catholic Church.

At the center of the holy whodunit is Paolo Gabriele, the pope's personal butler. Since he was arrested last week on suspicion of stealing confidential documents, rumors have swirled that he must have had some high-ranking help -- perhaps as high as the so-called 'princes of the Church,' the cardinals.

Marco Tosatti covers the Vatican for one of Italy's biggest newspapers. "If Paolo Gabriele acted as he did," he said, "well, probably there was somebody very important who convinced him to do it."

On Monday, the Vatican denied that any cardinal was under investigation.

Video: Pope's personal butler in Vatican custody

But the scandal shows no sign of slowing. The butler pledged that he'd cooperate fully with investigators, raising the specter that he would name others.

Gabriele -- a father of three -- has worked for the Pope since 2006, and is one of the few layman to have access to the Pope's private apartment.

He's accused of leaking letters and memos to Italian journalists that allegedly show corruption in the Church's financial dealings with Italian businesses, including money laundering and kickbacks.

The revelations are part of a number of embarrassing leaks that show the Church and its inner workings in disarray.

For the moment Paolo Gabriele is the lone arrest. If found guilty, he could face up to 30 years in prison.

[acronombe2012]

In every country & in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own ~ Thomas Jefferson.

Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes & they always need a little more.

[Acts2020]

"And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:' This people honors Me with their lips,But their heart is far away from Me" - Mark 7:6 New American Standard Bible

Concerning the religious leaders of his time Jesus made the above statement and quoted from the book of Isaiah chapter 29 verse 13.

The Merriam-Websters English Dictionary defines the word, Hypocrite -
1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

Cha neph- Hebrew
Hypocrite - English

As an adjective, may be defined as "profane, irreligious , godless"; or, as a verb, "be polluted, profane, inclining away from right." In the Bible "Cha neph" appears in parallel with those forgetting God, the wicked, evildoers, and it is used in contrast with the upright and innocent ones.

A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by Brown, Driver, and Briggs 1980.

When asked whether it was proper in God's sight to pay taxes to the then ruling Roman government, Jesus responded with this profound statement: "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." - Mark 12:17 Todays New International Version

Talking it and walking it - two different things, that is being a true follower of the Christ.

[acronombe2012]

Mark 10:30
In the King James Bible, The Darby Bible, the Niv bible, The American Standard Bible all words it differently, but it basically says this;

"Anything that I give for the kingdom, or for the gospel, or for Jesus, I will be rewarded richly & I will receive 100 fold, now & in heaven."

This verse is written in red, which means Jesus said it.

Did Jesus lie? Or did the church lie?

[Acts2020]

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields, along with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life. " - Mark 10:30 New International Version

If anyone were to read the entire chapter of Mark 10 eventually they would come upon Mark 10:29,30 and based upon the context would understand that Jesus Christ was responding to what the apostle Peter said at Mark 10:28 - "We have left everything to follow you!" (NIV)

Jesus Christ was indicating that ones who made the sacrifice and devoted their lives to the gospel or rather the telling of the "good news" to others about Gods Kingdom, was reassured that they would be a part of a loving Christian brotherhood that would have no boundries. They would have many brothers and sisters, mothers, etc. not just at that time but in the future with the hope of everlasting life in view as well. What monetary value can there be put on the potential of having everlasting life? I know no imperfect human can give something like that. His response was based upon spiritual substance matters not material money oriented issues or matters.

When basing a response off of the Bible wouldn't you agree that no one should leave room for error based upon a misquote in order for someone to misinterpreted it? The Bible itself should be used for the quote. The Bible can interpret itself with the use of other scriptures to support it.

[ronster6]

My Dad always said that if your car broke down in the middle of the road and there was a church on one side and a bar on the other, the folks from the bar would be the ones to help; probably even buy you a few beers to help ease your misery. I read myself out of the Catholic church 40 years ago when I was a teenager and found out about the Crusades and Galileo. I'm still very spiritual, but will not join any church. Most religions have their downside; look at all the wars that have been fought over them. Everyone thinks THEIR religion is the one, and will kill to defend it. "Thou shalt not kill" just flies outta the window. The Catholic church has always been full of greed, power struggles, and secrecy. They feed you the information that they want you to have, whether it is the truth or not, and cover up a lot of bad stuff.

[OldTimeTruth]

Why does this story not suprise me. This church will not stand again after this.

[yvonnewalker14]

Did you ever wonder who the Harlot is in the book of Revalation in the Bible? The clue says it is she who sits on many nations, waters (people)and sits like a queen throughout the earth. Answer to clue: All world-wide organized religion, whether it be catholic, protestant, jewish, islamic, etc. The crown jewel of the harlot is the catholic church, and it is says the Harlot eventually falls and is destroyed by the polical systems of this world and everyone says, "Shame, Shame" - you think this is impossible? It is not because it says "God will PUT IT IN THEIR HEARTS" to do this. It will be the beginning of the Great Tribulation and then Armageddon when God destroys all the wicked on the earth and brings in a new mellenium of his Kingdom ruled by Christ Jesus to the earth. You are seeing a time of history that has been prophecied about for 2,000 years and is soon to come true, to the blessing of all mankind left on the earth. Watch you News.

[ddaryl1]

if there is top secret documents in a church then the whole organized religion angle is a compete SCAM.

A billion $$$ entity is not religion.. it is nothing more then a institute of control, and only the biggest fools follow organized religion

Are you a fool too ?

[AlexanderIII]

I used to teach in El Paso TX in the Catholic school and was let go for teaching students to think beyond what they are told, especially by the Church. When I was there I learnd that it is a well know fact that Catholic priests go to Juarez and other near by large Mexican towns for sex parties with underage boys and girls. The bishops including the current bishop of EL Paso knows about it and does nothing, and the Mexican police are just paid off. They use ninos de calle (street kids) and kids in the orphanages run by the church for these parties and no one does anything. Needless to say when I learned this I left the church and now have nothing more to do with religion. Marx was right.

[Jesus_to_ground_control]

"Blow, Gabriele, Blow!"*

*Cole Porter's Anything Goes (1934).

[honest_pols]

MINDS' BEING MADE RIPE FOR RELIGIOUS MINDSET, FEEDS MANKIND'S DOWNFALL

This Vatican Church has perverted nearly all aspects of life, and will continue to get away with covering up all sorts of its criminal, murderous, thieving and dishonest history, as long as the ease of continuing to dupe its own follower/victims is not stopped.

It's nothing short of shameful and tragic, that so many hundreds of millions have been duped into paying for and supporting these parasitic church leaders' will and control of them, by "God approves only our Catholic way of life" ...

... just like religious Moslems believe that their Islamic way of life is the only true "God-approved" religion ...

... and like religious Jewish people believe that their Jewish way of life is the only true "God-approved" religion !

Based on it's never-ending history of Holier-Than-Thou divisiveness and conflict - in BOTH theory and practice - religion and the mindset that religious thinking creates, has the potential to finish us off once and far all. In fact it ASSURES us of just that!

[KnowerseekerReturns]

http://voices.yahoo.com/30-bible-verses-greed-6522746.html

Christianity *doesn't* support greed. However, greedy people often disguise themselves as Christians.

[dramapsychic]

The Butler did it, in the Vatican, with secret documents. Get a "clue" everybody...the man will be fitted for cement shoes before and "swimmin wit da fisheez" before the month is over!
Poor guy, leaving three little children fatherless. He did right thing but the Catholic Hierarchy has NEVER been on the side of "doing the right thing"

[KnowerseekerReturns]

Can't argue with that.