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The cult-like Legion of Christ order, whose guidelines forbade criticising its founder or questioning his motives, later acknowledged that Maciel, who died in 2008, lived a double life as a paedophile, womaniser and drug addict.
Sodano a number of instances denied allegations that he was conscious of Maciel’s double life and that he had lined up for him. Maciel, a conservative seen as a bulwark towards liberalism within the Church, was recognized to have made beneficiant monetary presents to the Vatican.
In 2010, 4 years after Pope Benedict changed Sodano as secretary of state, Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna accused Sodano of getting blocked a full-scale investigation of former Austrian Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer.
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Pope Francis kisses Ukrainian flag from Bucha, the place a whole bunch of civilians have been reportedly killed
Groer stepped down as archbishop of Vienna in 1995 after allegations that he had sexually abused younger seminarians previously. He died in 2003 by no means admitting guilt or going through prices. Sodano additionally denied these accusations.
In 2010, victims of clergy sexual abuse condemned Sodano for saying at a public Easter handle that abuse was principally “petty gossip”.
Ordained a priest in 1950, Sodano joined the diplomatic service a number of years later. He served in Vatican embassies in Ecuador, Uruguay, Chile earlier than being referred to as again to the Vatican for senior administrative roles, together with the quantity two spot.
Vatican insiders have mentioned that even after he retired, Sodano, who continued to dwell within the Vatican, exercised vital affect within the careers of Vatican officers for the rest of Benedict’s hold forth. Benedict resigned in 2013.
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