"Vatican Cover" For Zanchetta is Double "Own Goal" For Francis

en.news John Allen formulated the impression that Pope Francis provided "Vatican cover" for the Argentinian Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, 54, who is "running away from abuse allegations."

Writing on CruxNow.com (January 6), he suggests that Zanchetta's appointment to APSA, the Vatican's de facto investment bank, also sheds doubts about the seriousness of Francis’ financial reforms as Zanchetta is also accused of misusing diocesan funds.

For Allen, Francis' behaviour threatens to become a rare double “own goal” for Francis that will create self-inflicted wounds to Francis' credibility in moral and financial matters.

Zanchetta was one of the first bishops nominated by Francis in July 2013. He resigned in August 2017. Five months later, Francis created for him a special position at APSA.

Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti claimed on December 4 that the charges against Zanchetta emerged only in recent months thus implying that Francis did not know about them earlier.

This cannot be true. Francis keeps a tight control over Argentinia, his homeland, and the local Nuncio was already informed in 2014 and 2015 about Zanchetta's homosexual adventures, nude pictures included.