VZCZCXRO6059
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHROV #0082 1900851
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 090851Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1136
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0080
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0092
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0081
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0068
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 1174

UNCLAS VATICAN 000082 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KIRF VT

SUBJECT: POPE DISMISSES STAFFERS INVOLVED IN HOLOCAUST DENIER 
SCANDAL 
 
REF: A. VATICAN 28 
     ¶B. VATICAN 37 
 



¶1. (SBU)  On July 8, the Pope quietly let go the Vatican 
personnel who had this spring recommended the restoration of 
communion with a break-away Catholic movement that included a 
Holocaust-denying bishop.  Although the Pope clarified that he 
was not aware of Bishop Williamson's views at the time of his 
decision, the resulting fracas caused short-term damage to the 
Church's relations with Jews (ref A).  It also led to 
considerable public criticism of the Vatican's antiquated social 
communications strategy (ref b).  The streamlining of the 
so-called ""Ecclesia Dei"" (Church of God) Commission - which had 
recommended lifting the movement's excommunication -- removed 
its two most senior officials, Colombian Cardinal Dario 
Castrillon Hoyos and his deputy, Luxembourg Monsignor Camille 
Perl. 
 
 


 
¶2.  (U) The Vatican's doctrinal czar, U.S. Cardinal William 
Levada, will now oversee the full rehabilitation of members of 
traditionalist Catholic break-away movement, the Fraternity of 
St. Pius X. (Note:  While no longer excommunicated, the 
traditionalist group's bishops and clergy are still not 
authorized to exercise their ministry, for example, by ordaining 
other priests.) 
 
 
 




¶3.   (SBU) Comment: While some Vatican watchers saw the move as 
a rebuke for the former members of the Commission, in fact 
Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, who recently turned 80, was required 
to retire at this age anyway.  Indeed, some critics argued that 
he prematurely advocated lifting the excommunication of the Pius 
X Society in the spring so that - after years of negotiating 
with the sect - it could happen on his watch.  By waiting a few 
months until Castrillon Hoyos reached mandatory retirement age 
to announce the reorganization, the Pope spared him some 
embarrassment.  The reshuffling of the personnel and 
responsibilities is therefore more a re-think by the Pope about 
the process of bringing errant members back into the Catholic 
fold.  He has now put dealing with the traditionalists in the 
hands of someone he trusts implicitly, Cardinal Levada, who got 
his current job as one of the pontiff's first appointments in 
¶2005.  And by announcing the decision the day after the release 
of his long-awaiting social encyclical and on the first day on 
the G8 summit in Italy, the Vatican demonstrated that it learned 
at least one lesson from the Fraternity of St. Pius X scandal: 
how to bury a story. End comment. 
 
NOYES 
"