Vatican slams resignation “gossip” in media

From the BBC:

The Vatican’s chief spokesperson has criticised the media for reporting “misinformation” about the Church.

Father Federico Lombardi said some were trying to profit from a time of disorientation in the Catholic Church to spread “gossip” and “slander”.

Father Lombardi made the comments in an editorial on the Vatican radio website.

Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, the first by a pope in nearly 600 years, takes effect on Thursday. His decision surprised many within the Church.

There have been recent articles in the Italian and international media suggesting intrigue and corruption in the Church.

An unconfirmed report in one of Italy’s biggest newspapers, La Repubblica, suggested that the Pope had resigned shortly after being presented with a dossier detailing a network of Vatican priests, “united by sexual orientation” who were being blackmailed.

Without giving credence to such allegations or addressing the report specifically, the Vatican spokesman said those putting themselves in positions of judgement had no authority to do so.

“Whoever has money, sex and power at the forefront of their mind sees the world through these parameters and cannot see beyond, even when looking at the Church,” he said.

“Their view cannot look to the heights or go in-depth to understand the spiritual dimensions and motivations of existence,” he added.

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Meantime, the story in La Repubblica is getting attention from some sharp-eyed Vatican observers, including John Allen, Robert Moynihan and Giacomo Galeazzi.