POPE HAILS CARDINAL WHO HIRED GAY HOOKERS
Vatican's second-in-command covered up high-level clerical sex abuse
by Jules Gomes • ChurchMilitant.com • June 1, 2022
VATICAN CITY (ChurchMilitant.com) - The world's most powerful cardinal of recent times, who served under three popes, was outed the day after his death as a homosexual who rented gay prostitutes.
In the face of the explosive revelations of the prelate's gay lifestyle, Pope Francis paid glowing tribute to Cdl. Angelo Sodano, describing him as an "ecclesially disciplined man, a lovely shepherd, animated by the desire to spread the yeast of the gospel everywhere."
In a telegram of condolence to Sodano's sister, Francis praised the cardinal as an "esteemed man of the Church, who generously lived his priesthood first in the diocese of Asti and then, for the rest of his long life, in service of the Holy See."
On Saturday, French investigative journalist Frédéric Martel disclosed Sodano's identity as the pseudonymous cardinal nicknamed "La Mongolfiera" ("hot air balloon") in his explosive book In the Closet of the Vatican: Power, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy.
"I can reveal now that the person called 'La Mongolfiera' in my book #Sodoma (the Italian title of the book) was #AngeloSodano. My rule was not to reveal the homosexuality of a living priest or cardinal. Now that he is dead, the truth can be written," Martel tweeted.
Cardinal Sodano was implicated in most of the major abuse cover-ups by the Vatican
In a second tweet, Martel called Sodano a "great diplomatic figure" and a "nuncio of the extreme Right in Chile, friend of Pinochet, active homosexual, defender of innumerable pedophile priests" and "the hero of my book #Sodoma (La Mongolfiera)."
Sodano, who was second-in-command to Pope John Paul II as Vatican secretary of state from 1991 and continued in office for a year under Pope Benedict XVI, formed "the first 'ring of lust' around the Holy Father," the journalist wrote in his 2019 runaway bestseller.
Martel revealed that Sodano, a second pseudonymous cardinal — "Platinette" — and an unnamed bishop were "regular clients of the Roman male prostitutes, with whom they host foursomes."
The prelates used a network of trusted Vatican intermediaries and money from the Vatican coffers to pay for luxury escorts — costing up to 2,000 euros per evening, Martel disclosed, earning the cardinals the "ironic nickname" of "the ATM priests."
In his book, Martel does not reveal the identity of the intermediaries but names one of the network's ringleaders as "Negretto," a Nigerian member of the Vatican choir. A second intermediary, who is married, is characterized as a "gentleman of His Holiness."
Cops Bust Pimps
In 2010, Italian police outed Negretto as Thomas Chinedu Ehiem after obtaining over a year's supply of wiretapped phone conversations revealing the operation of a gay prostitution network.
Police also arrested the "gentleman to his Holiness," naming him as Angelo Balducci, who was part of an elite group of ushers whose task is to serve at the apostolic palace when visiting dignitaries meet the pope.
The Vatican immediately terminated the positions of both Ehiem and Balducci following the arrests. Police shut down the prostitution network but were unable to charge the main clients, Cdls. La Mongolfiera and Platinette, given their Vatican immunity.
A lieutenant colonel in the Italian carabinieri told Martel that thecardinals couldn't be called in for questioning because of their diplomatic immunity. He explained, "As soon as they were implicated in a scandal, they were automatically protected."
"They sought shelter behind the ramparts of the Holy See. Likewise, we couldn't search their bags, even if we suspected them of drug trafficking, for example, or take them in for questioning," the officer added.
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