WATCHING "SECRETS OF THE VATICAN"

WATCHING "SECRETS OF THE VATICAN"

CHANNEL 4 - SECRETS OF THE VATICAN

PROGRAMME STILL AVAILABLE ON www.4ondemand

I watched the Channel 4 programme: "SECRETS OF THE VATICAN" the other evening and it made me realise just how much work Pope Francis has to do to make the Vatican a healthier and better place.

I do not know whether Francis will be able to achieve the purification of the Vatican that is necessary - and more importantly I do not know if the dreaded curia will even ALLOW him to change things.

The Channel 4 programme put the serious problems of the Vatican into 3 basic catagories:

1. The corruption and internal intrigue at the Vatican.

2. The homosexual scandal of the Vatican.

3, The question of the Vatican Bank.

CORRUPTION AND INTERNAL INTRIGUE:

The now famous Vatileaks crisis, which caused the resignation of Pope Benedict was and is that product of corruption, intrigue and power hunger in the Vatican.  It seems that there are different power lobbies working away against each other - each lobby trying to assert its control over the curia. This also involves nepotism and the awarding of millions and millions of pounds to friends and family members for Vatican contracts. This intrigue involves cardinals, archbishops, bishops, monsignori and priests. There seems to be "gangs" and gang warfare everyday at the centre of the Catholic Church. This of course is in direct conflict with the teachings of Christ who said: "The first among you must be the last; and the last among you must be the first" and "I came to serve; not to be served".

In the Vatileak crisis the pope's butler was made the scapegoat for the revelations. But the truth is that the corrupt gangs and gang leaders are still alive and well in Francis' Vatican - and probably working very hard to frustrate and undermine him. How can ONE MAN oppose and dispose of such a powerful lobby with hundreds of years of experience under their gang belts?

I believe it was these same people who murdered Pope John Paul 1 - the 30 days pope. Could they kill Francis? Of course they could. Will they? They will if it suits them and if they fail in every other way to resist his changes.

THE HOMOSEXUAL SCANDALS:

At this stage in the 21st century MOST Catholic priests and bishops are gay or homosexual. Some act out their homosexuality and some do not. However it seems at the Vatican that the gay men there, for the most part do act out their homosexuality.

On the Channel 4 programme the "underground" reporter went to an all night party of Roman gay priests in a Roman gay club where the centre of attraction were two young gay escorts. After the party the reporter went home to one of the priest's apartments with the priest and another (French) priest. The reporter slept alone. The two priests slept together and spent the night having sex.

In a bizarre moment the French priest who had spend the night having sex then got up, set up an altar, got vested as a priest and proceeded to celebrate Mass. It was this development that most shocked the reporter.

But apparently this is typical of Vatican bishops and priests! The reporter called it a schitzophrenia.

No one can say that it is immoral or "sinful" to be gay. Gay people are gay by nature. 

There is a very strong theological and moral argument that two gay men, in a loving committed relationship, MAKING LOVE are also behaving morally.

However - would even the most liberal of us claim that all night orgies with multiple sexual partners and using escorts is in keeping with Christian morality - especially for priests and bishops?

Don't get me wrong - as far as I am concerned what consenting adults do together is perfectly ok. 

But can we argue that it is "moral" from the Christian point of view? And even if we did it - would we not at least realise that it is nonsense to call it "moral"?

Leaving Christianity out of the equation completely - how would we feel about the sex life of married men and women - husbands and wives - fathers and mothers - being centred around orgies, multiple sexual partners, escorts etc - from the secular moral and civic ethic point of view?

Would it be "good" for children to be brought up in homes that were centres for orgies, multiple sex partners and escorts?

But here in the Vatican we have this outlook from people who preach Christian morality. Is there not a great contradiction?

THE VATICAN BANK:

The Vatican Bank has basically being a bank for the Italian and Church mafia and for others who want to hide and launder money internationally.

It has been run by people - lay and clerical - who have been involved in theft, fraud and even murder.

It has defied international financial regulation. 

Francis has done something about cleaning it up. But the Vatican Bank is only willing to talk about the present and the future. It is not willing to allow its past actions to be investigated and audited.

And all this at the centre of a Church that preaches the 7th Commandment - "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL".

CONCLUSION:

This Channel 4 expose shows that the Roman Catholic Church is in a very rotten state. Instead of being a centre of GOODNESS the Vatican is a centre of EVIL. Its words say that it follows Jesus Christ. Its actions show that it follows Satan. 

Before Pope Benedict left he said that there was great evil in the Church and that the evil was not coming from outside forces. Rather the evil was coming from within.

How can we expect GOODNESS to come from a CENTRE OF EVIL?

The Vatican does not need reforms. It needs THE BALL AND CHAIN.

+Pat Buckley

28.3.2014