Pope decries theft and leak of Vatican documents

November 09, 2015

Following the recitation of the Angelus on November 8, Pope Francis denounced the theft of confidential Vatican documents as a “crime” and “deplorable act.”

“I know that many of you have been upset by the news circulating in recent days concerning the Holy See’s confidential documents that were taken and published,” the Pope said to the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square. “For this reason I want to tell you, first of all, that stealing those documents was a crime. It’s a deplorable act that does not help.”

“I personally had asked for that study to be carried out, and both I and my advisers were well acquainted with [the contents of] those documents, and steps have been taken that have started to bear fruit, some of them even visible,” he continued. “Therefore, I wish to reassure you that this sad event certainly does not deter me from the reform project that we are carrying out, together with my advisers and with the support of all of you.”

The Pope added:

Yes, with the support of the whole Church because the Church renews itself with prayer and the daily holiness of each baptized person. I therefore thank you and ask you to continue to pray for the Pope and the Church, without getting upset or troubled but proceeding with faith and hope.

After denouncing the leak of confidential documents, the Pope recalled that

• November 7 was the beginning of the 800^th anniversary celebration of the Order of Preachers (Dominican order)
• November 8 was Thanksgiving Day in Italy, with the theme “the soil, common good”
• November 9 marks the beginning of the 5^th National Ecclesial Convention in Florence

 

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Further information:

• Angelus Domini 2015.11.08 (Vatican YouTube)
• Le parole del Papa alla recita dell’Angelus, 08.11.2015 (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope: recent stealing of documents was a crime (Vatican Radio)