Another Catholic Scandal



The newest book portraying what goes on inside the Vatican may turn out to be bigger than recent revelations about child abuse clergy. It is a book about gays at high levels inside the Vatican.

The book is by a gay author from France. He interviewed dozens of officials inside the Vatican and traveled around the world interviewing priests. The book was finished a year ago but was not released until a couple of days ago after translations into several languages was complete.

I've read several reviews, both positive and negative. My impression is the author does not like the long-standing taboo against gays in the Catholic clergy. It is said he treats opponents of gays badly and often concludes they are closeted gays themselves. One of the overriding theories by critics is that anti gay clergy in the Vatican are also anti Frances. Thus, the entire book, this theory says, it an attempt by supporters of Francis to smear his opponents.

Leaving aside both supporters and critics of the book, there are a few undeniable aspects of the book. One is that the author is an experienced and successful author. He has published other books by what I understand to be sound publishing houses. The methodology he used is common. In the U.S. blockbuster books by the likes of Bob Woodward researched Watergate in the same way. Another is that there seems no question he did spend four years interviewing many dozens of officials.  No one he claims to have interviewed denies the interview took place. Third, he concluded after these four years and dozens of interviews there are a lot of gay officials in the Vatican.

The book discusses what interviewees told the author about active sex lives of those gay Catholic officials. Even if we treat some of that as speculative, it may explain remarks by the current and previous Popes. Pope Francis has spoken of the hypocrisy in the Vatican. Pope Benedict used a Christmas message to blast homosexuality.

It seems inevitable this book will be talked about for a long time to come.

https://www.amazon.com/Closet-Vatican-Power-Homosexuality-Hypocrisy/dp/1472966147

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