Paolo Gabriele-"Thou Shall Not Steal!"

Sadly, the Vatican, as reported widely in the news, is embroiled in a scandal that reads more like fiction than non-fiction. Even Dan Brown couldn't make this stuff up. Paolo Gabriele, the Pope's former trusted butler, betrayed Pope Benedict and others, by allegedly stealing important documents from the Pope's private apartment, even from the Pope's desk, which were then leaked to the Italian press. How could anyone with the name Gabriele do such a thing? I'd like to put this question to Gabriele. Gabriele, no fear of hell, or God's wrath, not to mention prison time? The humble and trusting Pope Benedict was being attended to by someone with questionable character, I find that alarming. Paolo Gabriele had many functions as the Pope's butler, at times, he helped him dress, gave him meals, attended Mass with him. Someone who is now standing trial for grand theft and who was obviously mentally unstable (who in their right mind steals from the Pope!) was giving the Pope meals and had access to the Pope's private apartment?

In the latest development, "A Vatican judge on Monday ordered the pope's butler and a fellow lay employee to stand trial for the alleged pilfering of documents from Pope Benedict XVI's private apartment in an embarrassing scandal that exposed power struggles and purported corruption at the Holy See's highest levels" (Huffington Post).

In a strange turn of events, "Gabriele is telling investigators that he was, "motivated by my deep faith and by the desire that in the church light is shed on everything." He also apparently said that, "seeing evil and corruption everywhere in the Church........I was sure that a shock, even a media one, would have been healthy to bring the Church back on the right track."

Bringing the Church back on the right track by stealing, betrayal, lies and scandal? Strange thinking, I'd say.

What part did greed (one of the deadly sins) play in this story? I wonder how much money Gabriele received to steal and leak these documents? Perhaps it was not Gabriele's wish to expose the power struggles at the Vatican as much as it was his desire for money and grabbing power himself. Essentially he was smiling at the Pope to his face and making small talk, (I assume), while betraying him behind his back. It's all so absurd, convoluted and criminal!

I'm sorry for Pope Benedict that he had to experience this level of betrayal, no one should have to go through that. But Jesus said, "As they persecuted me, they shall persecute you." Unfortunately, it happens all the time, on all levels.

NJA