The Crafty Steward?

One last bit about Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. I’m sure by this time tomorrow a lot will have shaken out from his accused, his supporters and skeptics. Tonight, it looks not unlike this parable from Luke 16:1-9:

Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.” So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.” Then he asked another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. (NRSV)

It’s inevitable that however this turns out, the retired nuncio will have a smaller or greater number of allies. Smaller, if this all turns out to be overblown or a hoax, as has been floated tonight.

Way too many questions about supposed bishop behavior while Archbishop Viganò was in the nuncio’s seat 2011-16. His “exile” by Pope Benedict. His attempt to quash the abuse investigation in Minnesota. His opposition to Amoris. He has resentments, as it’s been reported.

One concern: remembering how a false accusation against Cardinal Bernardin in 1994 put a damper on suspicions of bishops for almost a decade, I would hope that if this “testimony” turns out mostly empty, it doesn’t halt the scrutiny on bishops.

I suspect there are cliques in the upper reaches of the Church. Perhaps not the lavender mafia as reported. Maybe there are smaller versions of lavender mafias afoot. Probably black and lace mafias. Seminary friends. Some less than innocent. Some just cliques.

Anyway, probably more later.