Vatican City – In recent days, even the Cardinal Archpriest of the St Peter’s Basilica has taken part in the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia. Mauro Gambetti, not particularly known for his inclination towards moments of spiritual reflection, attended the exercises in the hope of being noticed by the Holy Father. Times may change, but certain characters seem destined to remain eternal seminarians. The dynamics, after all, are always the same: even when you can’t stand the new rector, you still have to try to make a good impression. To be fair, it’s not entirely their fault - these dynamics are deeply rooted, and the problem is structural. Of course, if someone had even a shred of conscience, they would go to the Pope and say: “Your Holiness, I recognise that I am not suited for this role, and, above all, I understand that times have changed. I will step aside for someone else.”
But you can well understand that, as Varden has reminded us in recent hours, making such a move requires a spiritual depth of great substance. It takes humility and a profound self-awareness. Admitting failure and acknowledging that one has turned the Basilica into a venue for events is an act of courage that few are willing to undertake.
The Gambetti Operation Has Failed
Mauro Gambetti is fully aware that his mandate has come to an end, and each passing day could be the decisive one for an unexpected appointment. “The real issue is that wherever his name comes up, everyone knows who he is and what he has done,” confides a prelate from the Secretariat of State, with an enigmatic smile. With a knowing gesture, he hints that it is precisely thanks to these pages that the world has been able to uncover the truth about what has happened in the Basilica of St Peter in recent years.
“We’ve gone from a time when you published all the documents of the Fabbrica, and the major newspapers pretended not to notice, to moments when Giansoldati would go up to the third floor of the Fabbrica, and Gambetti would tell her it was all a conspiracy against him, trying to convince her that there was no need to write about certain things. The great orchestrator, of course, was Comastri. Gambetti has always tried to push this nonsense. Other journalists, meanwhile, were given their little perks and chose to remain silent. But then came the moments when the truth could no longer be ignored. Think, for instance, of when the blatant profanations began: the directive was, ‘Don’t circulate the videos, or Silere non possum will write against us.’ And when you published the first video - the one with the naked man on the altar - chaos erupted. At that point, everyone was forced to talk about it; it would have been absurd to remain silent even about that. From there, the veil of silence gradually fell. Now, even those reading from the outside know the source and go directly to Silere. If a mainstream newspaper doesn’t report the news, it only tarnishes its own reputation, making itself look bad. Let’s not forget that times have changed. With Leo, even print journalists are abandoning Gambetti. In the end, these ‘new cardinals’ promoted by Francis fail to understand that journalists flatter you only as long as it suits them, but they’ll turn on you the moment they get the chance. They complain so much about Silere, but they don’t realise that at least there’s coherence, an editorial line, a logical thread. Things are proven and published. These others don’t even have that, but the real issue is that they fear precisely this: the fact that Silere doesn’t care about their promises or their little tours of the gardens. It doesn’t need their favours.” He laughs. “Today they flatter you, tomorrow they destroy you. Look at what they did to Comastri,” he adds.
As we walk along Viale Benedetto XV, with our gaze fixed on Torre San Giovanni, the prelate reflects, his steps slow and his tone thoughtful. “You see,” he begins, his voice carrying a certain gravity, “despite their constant attempts at delegitimisation, it’s clear to everyone that Silere non possum has never published anything false, nor has it ever been disproven.”
He pauses for a moment, as if to give weight to his words, then continues with a note of firmness: “This credibility doesn’t come so much from who writes, with all due respect to those who write, of course!” he adds, almost as if to clarify that he doesn’t mean to diminish their role. With a gesture of his hand, he quickly explains that his point is deeper. “The strength of Silere non possum lies in the solidity of its publications, in its ability to document the truth with precision and rigour. This is what has built, over the years, a reputation that cannot be undermined by those who try to discredit it with ad hominem arguments.” The prelate seems to suggest that, in a country where authority is often tied to the name or fame of the writer, something different is happening here. It’s not the individual author who makes the difference, but the intrinsic quality of the work, its coherence and adherence to the facts. It’s a recognition that transcends individuals - a tribute to the truth itself, which asserts itself with the force of its evidence.
He continues with a faint smile: “Even when Andrea Monda loses his temper over what you publish about their work, trying to discredit you in front of employees with phrases like, ‘No one reads them,’ we all know that’s not true. If no one really read you, there would be no reason for such overblown reactions. I don’t see them getting so worked up over those sites that publish far more vulgar and defamatory criticisms, which, by the way, are never backed by evidence.” At that point, I interject with a quip: “Sites? Calling them sites is generous. I’d say psychoblogs.” He bursts out laughing, nodding: “Yes, yes, psychoblogs. By now…”
Then he grows serious, pausing for a moment as if to underline the weight of his words, and resumes: “Let’s ask ourselves, instead, how a figure - one truly unknown - who taught religion in an equally obscure high school, managed to build a career based solely on connections and friendships. A man who has brought a prestigious newspaper like the Osservatore Romano, once home to renowned writers, to lose its readership, reducing it to practically distributing free copies to us, the cardinals, and the offices. How can such a figure claim that a site born less than five years ago, and read worldwide, is ‘not read by anyone’? Employees, when they hear him, laugh behind his back because it’s obvious that by even mentioning it, he’s contradicting himself. I have confreres in Brazil, in the United States. Everyone knows who you are; everyone reads you. And I’ve often told those who ask me: ‘If you really want to know what’s happening, you need to read there.’”
In the Basilica of St Peter, this is now well known: those who thought they could act as they pleased have quickly stopped, fearing to see their illicit actions exposed on these pages. And this, despite Mauro Gambetti threatening anyone who dared to oppose him, suspending workers and initiating retaliatory legal proceedings. All of this, of course, with the support of those who bow to his will simply because he is the Archpriest. Ironically, many of these same individuals, who now support him, are already prepared to speak ill of him. They are merely waiting for the right moment - the appointment that will seal his downfall - to turn their backs on him without hesitation. In short, the Mauro Gambetti operation has failed, and the truth always emerges, even when attempts are made to silence it.
Surprise Inspections in St Peter’s Basilica
Returning to St Peter’s Basilica, where the atmosphere grows heavier by the day, this morning, after meditation in the Pauline Chapel, a close collaborator of Leo XIV descended from the Papal Apartment and headed to the Basilica. There, he asked the sampietrini to call the inspector on duty, Giampaolo Capputi, and, accompanied by a gendarme on duty, requested to be shown the areas where the bar expansion works are underway. Upon reaching the terrace, he was shown the current bar, but the collaborator of Prevost insisted on seeing the specific area where the works were being carried out. He was then taken to the site, where he took several photos to bring back to the Apartment. Once the inspection was complete, he returned to report directly to the person who had sent him.
An unusual event, certainly, but one that reveals much: the Holy Father does not trust the narratives that some have been trying to circulate for some time. The Pope relies only on a few trusted collaborators, and attempts to conceal the truth and the state of affairs only worsen the position of those trying to manipulate reality. It is clear that a drastic change is needed in St Peter’s Basilica, not only concerning Mauro Gambetti but also the entire entourage surrounding him. One of them, Enzo Fortunato, has already left. But there are others. Among them is Orazio Pepe, who, after being removed from several dicasteries, ended up in the Basilica. Here, as elsewhere, he continued to behave like a bully, shouting and imposing himself arrogantly, just as he did in the dicasteries from which he was dismissed. Meanwhile, the Fabbrica di San Pietro has become a true refugium peccatorum, a place where a network of young men employed as auxiliaries has formed, earning only a few euros a month.
These young men do not gain much from the modest wages they receive for their work, which, while minimal, allow them to continue their studies in the Urbe. However, their real profit comes from the connections they strive to build at all costs in that environment. They proudly show off that “they have access,” “they know people,” “they know who to talk to.” When they return to their dioceses, they boast that “they have so-and-so’s number,” “they’ve had dinner with so-and-so,” and so on. They use the Basilica and other churches in the Urbe they frequent as stages to flaunt these connections (which they often embellish with invented details), showcasing themselves on social media with “exclusive” photos and videos.
In doing so, they flaunt a vague and undefined privilege, constructing an image of themselves that is blatantly artificial and far from reality. This behaviour reveals, above all, a profound immaturity, even on an emotional level, and a manipulative use of the Church, its structures, and even the people within it. In recent years, figures who had already encountered difficulties elsewhere have gathered around Gambetti and in the Basilica. Among them is Ochetta, involved in the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, but who never found a foothold in the Society of Jesus and was always in competition with Spadaro, and Enzo Fortunato, who has now already moved on. But figures like Calogero La Piana also emerge, removed from the diocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela and subsequently sent to serve as Vicar of the Vatican Chapter. All these figures, particularly Pepe, whose mandate expires in June, find themselves in a state of evident existential crisis. They are well aware that if the first domino falls, the entire system will collapse in a chain reaction, dragging everyone down with it.
Fr.C.T.
Silere non possum