St Peter's Square in the Vatican, on Flickr
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An Italian newspaper last week published two confidential letters documenting a failed 2011 effort by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's powerful Secretary of State, to take control of an important Italian Catholic university and hospital system, reports the National Catholic Reporter.
Release of the documents is seen as another embarrassment for Cardinal Bertone, whose effectiveness had already been called into question by the leaks scandal and other episodes since Pope Benedict named Cardinal Bertone to the position in 2006.
The letters, and their aftermath, also document a case in which Pope Benedict sided with local bishops against an attempt to centralise additional ecclesiastical power in the Vatican.
The report adds that this latest round of confidential Vatican documents to hit the press suggests that the "Vati-leaks" scandal is not yet over – either because personnel inside the Vatican are continuing to leak material, or because the material has already been leaked, in bulk, and is being selectively rolled out by media outlets.
CatholicCulture said that the multiple leaks from the Vatican are clearly designed to undermine Cardinal Bertone's authority, but since the Secretary of State has the full confidence of Pope Benedict, it seems unlikely that he would be removed from his current office.
FULL STORY
Vatican leaks scandal rolls on (National Catholic Reporter)
Another 'VatiLeaks' story aims to unsettle Cardinal Bertone (CatholicCulture/National Catholic Reporter)
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