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<h1 class="gmail-article-title">Viganò answers critics in new interviews</h1>
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<div class="gmail-article-author">by <strong><a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/author/staff-reporter/" title="Posts by Staff Reporter" rel="author">Staff Reporter</a></strong></div>
<div class="gmail-article-date">posted Friday, 31 Aug 2018</div><div class="gmail-article-date"><a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/08/31/vigano-answers-critics-in-new-interviews/">http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/08/31/vigano-answers-critics-in-new-interviews/</a><br></div>
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<div class="gmail-article-featured"><img src="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/content/uploads/2018/01/Screen-Shot-2018-01-10-at-13.02.46-592x500.png" class="gmail-featured-image gmail-wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="188" height="159"> <div class="gmail-featured-caption">
Archbishop Viganò, former nuncio to the United States (CNS) </div>
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<p class="gmail-article-standfirst">The archbishop, whose testimony accused Pope Francis of covering for Archbishop McCarrick, has been criticised for his record</p>
<p>Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has defended his reputation in three
new interviews, answering criticism about his past record. It follows
the publication of Archbishop Viganò’s <a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/08/26/former-nuncio-pope-francis-knew-about-mccarrick-but-withdrew-sanctions/">testimony</a>, in which he accuses Pope Francis and other senior churchmen of covering up Theodore McCarrick’s sexual abuse.</p>
<p>In an interview with the journalist Aldo Maria Valli, <a href="https://onepeterfive.com/vigano-crow-truth/">translated</a>
by the website One Peter Five, the archbishop says his critics “cannot
stop looking for places to draw poison with which to destroy my
credibility”.</p>
<p>Pope Francis has declined to comment on the testimony, which alleges
that Francis abandoned Benedict XVI’s sanctions on McCarrick, and made
McCarrick a trusted advisor. Rather than responding, the Pope said that
journalists should look closely at the situation.</p>
<p>However, Viganò’s critics have said he is not a credible witness. Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego <a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/08/28/bishop-mcelroy-accuses-vigano-of-distorting-the-truth/">accused</a>
the former US nuncio of “massive personal participation in the covering
up of sexual abuse by bishops”. This seems to have been a reference to
Viganò’s conduct in an investigation of Archbishop John Nienstedt. A
diocesan official alleged that Viganò prevented an inquiry into
Nienstedt, and also tried to have documents destroyed.</p>
<p>In an <a href="https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2018/08/27/archbishop-vigano-responds-to-criticisms-of-handling-of-2014-nienstedt-investigation/">interview</a>
with Catholic World Report, Viganò rejected the allegation. He said
that, rather than trying to quash the investigation, he suggested that
the archbishop be interviewed earlier in proceedings. Viganò said, “I
never told anyone that Greene Espel [a law firm] should stop the
inquiry, and I never ordered any document be destroyed: any statement to
the contrary is false.” Viganò claimed that a Vatican inquiry had
vindicated him on this point.</p>
<p>Viganò has also faced accusations of misconduct towards Pope Benedict XVI. A New York Times article <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/28/world/europe/archbishop-carlo-maria-vigano-pope-francis.html%5D">reported</a>
that Viganò told Benedict he needed to stay in Rome because his brother
“was sick and needed care”. The brother, Lorenzo, claimed this was a
lie.</p>
<p>In his latest interview, Archbishop Viganò says his three other
brothers had already prepared a statement rebutting Lorenzo’s
accusation. The archbishop says he originally opposed the publication of
this statement, to avoid a family row, but was now allowing it to be
published.</p>
<p>The brothers’ <a href="https://www.aldomariavalli.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Il-comunicato-dei-fratelli-Vigano.pdf">statement</a> describes
Lorenzo’s account as “totally unfounded”, and says that they feel
obliged to defend Archbishop Viganò’s good name. The brothers claim that
two separate public prosecutors and a judge have vindicated Archbishop
Viganò’s side of the story. The brothers also allege that Lorenzo has
been exploited by others who want to destroy the archbishop’s
reputation.</p>
<p>Most US churchmen who have commented on Viganò’s testimony have been
broadly supportive. Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City <a href="https://archokc.org/news/archbishop-coakley-response-to-vigano-testimony#.W4XLV5k0hTA.facebook">said</a>
that, while he could not comment on the specific claims, he had the
“the deepest respect for Archbishop Viganó and his personal integrity”.
Similar comments have been made by <a href="http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/philadelphia/archbishop-chaput-and-pope-francis-catholic-church-vigano-letter-20180828.html">Archbishop Charles Chaput</a>, <a href="https://dphx.org/statement-from-bishop-thomas-olmsted-regarding-archbishop-viganos-recent-testimony/">Bishop Thomas Olmsted</a> and others.</p>
<p>Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the US bishops’ conference, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/dinardo-calls-for-conclusive-answers-to-questions-raised-by-vigans-testimony-72496">said</a> Viganò’s claims deserved answers. Archbishop Salvator Cordileone of San Francisco went further, <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=38345">saying</a>:
“While having no privileged information about the Archbishop McCarrick
situation, from information I do have about a very few of the other
statements Archbishop Viganò makes, I can confirm that they are true.”</p>
<p>In the Valli <a href="https://onepeterfive.com/vigano-crow-truth/">interview</a>,
Viganò says that he was offered a promotion and a cardinal’s hat by
Pope Benedict XVI, but turned it down because he thought he could better
serve the Church in his then position.</p>
<p>The archbishop also says he is at peace: “The light always conquers
the darkness. It cannot be suppressed, especially for the one who has
faith. Therefore, I have much faith and hope for the Church.”</p>
<p>Most recently, Viganò has also <a href="https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/vigano-doubles-down-mccarrick-was-restricted-under-benedict-but-he-didnt-ob">spoken</a>
to LifeSiteNews about the nature of Benedict XVI’s alleged sanctions on
McCarrick. Viganò’s critics had asked why McCarrick had continued to
appear at official functions, during the time when he was supposedly
sanctioned. Viganò claims that, while McCarrick was sanctioned, he
“didn’t obey”.</p></div></div></div>
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