A brief note on the Maradiaga case: It is now 5 days past the mandatory December 29 retirement for Cardinal Maradiaga who turned 75 that day, but there is no word from anyone whether the pope has chosen to keep him on or not. Not that anyone thinks Bergoglio will accept the pro forma resignation from his 'vice pope' and Crown Council coordinator. Especially not after what Vatican News reported that very day...
Pope tells Cardinal Maradiaga:
'I am sorry for the evil they have done against you'
Dec. 29, 2017
Pope Francis has called Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga to reassure him after the cardinal was accused of financial mismanagement.
Vatican News, the Vatican’s official media outlet, reports that Pope Francis told Cardinal Maradiaga: “I am sorry for all the evil they have done against you, but do not worry.” The cardinal reportedly responded: “Holiness, I am at peace – at peace because I am with the Lord Jesus who knows everyone’s heart.”
The allegations were published last week in Italian magazine
L’Espresso. Investigative journalist Emiliano Fittipaldi wrote that allegations include large payments from a Catholic university, failed investments, and payments by a Honduran bishop to an “intimate friend.”
Cardinal Maradiaga is one of the most high-profile and influential Latin American bishops, and was chosen by Pope Francis to chair the “C9” council of cardinals to lead reforms of the Curia.
Earlier, however, there was this brief comment by Phil Lawler which I found quite on the mark, and one I should have picked up on, without prompting (I always faulted myself as a journalist for not being consistently skeptical about what people say, and in this case, I simply accepted the cardinal's explanation about the funds paid by the university to help defray diocesan expenses as plausible.)
Cardinal Maradiaga’s explanation does not compute
By Phil Lawler
Dec 26, 2017
A Catholic university in Honduras has been sending $40,000 or more monthly to Cardinal Maradiaga, who chairs the Council of Cardinals. Hmmm.
Don’t worry, the archbishop explains: the funds were not intended for the cardinal’s personal use; they were for the general needs of the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa. Oh, all right then.
But wait a minute. How does a Catholic university, in an impoverished country, have $40,000 a month to spare? We’ve all heard of Catholic schools that are subsidized by the local diocese. But have you ever heard of a Catholic diocese subsidized by a local school?
Does not compute.
There may be an innocent explanation for the funds pouring into Cardinal Maradiaga’s accounts. This isn’t it.