Becciu Facts Are Few
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When an allegation against a high-ranking churchman makes its way from Vatican-watchers to Italian newspapers to American headlines in just a matter of days, it’s a safe bet the story will have something to do with sex.
And if it’s an allegation that pertains to both sex and money, and includes the possibility of a criminal conspiracy pitting cardinal against cardinal, well, you’ve got a recipe for a best-selling potboiler, to say nothing of a story sure to circle the globe fast, and attract a lot of attention.
So it’s no surprise to see the attention paid to a set of allegations and theories that stemmed from Italian newspaper reports last week: That Cardinal Angelo Becciu sent 700,000 euros of Vatican funds to Australia during Cardinal George Pell’s sexual abuse trial, and that Becciu might have sent the money as a payment for Pell’s accusers.
But it should be noted that while the story is now the topic of discussion among Catholics everywhere, the allegations are heavy on innuendo and light on facts, to say the least. At least so far.