Bergoglio Knew about Zanchetta sex abuse but Still Promoted Him

 Marco Tosatti: Documents just published in Argentinian newspaper prove Francis knew about Zanchetta sex abuse before he promoted him

en.news The Argentinean daily ElTribuno.com (February 21) published five pages of an April 2016 report about former Orán Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta.

The report is signed by three former vicar generals and two monsignors of Orán.

It confirms that Pope Francis knew since 2015 about the Zanchetta scandal, and that Vatican speaker Alessandro Gisotti lied about this.

The report shows that Zanchetta’s downfall started in September 2015 when he asked his secretary Luis Díaz to download pictures he had received on his cellphone. While doing this, Díaz discovered nude selfies of a masturbating Zanchetta which he had sent to others through whatsapp.

Buenos Aires Cardinal Poli, Nuncio Emil Tscherrig and Pope Francis were informed. A month later Zanchetta was called to Francis. Zanchetta allegedly told him that the photos were counterfeit although they show his bedroom.

The report accuses Zanchetta also of a “strange attitude” with his seminarians.

Zanchetta visited them in their rooms in the middle of the night holding a flashlight, or when they were getting up, asked them to give him a massage. He sat down on their beds, encouraged them to drink alcohol, and showed a certain preference for the more handsome ones.

A second report, accompanied by letters of seminarians, followed in 2017 when abuses of seminarians emerged, forcing Zanchetta to resign. Shortly after, Francis appointed him to the Vatican.