This document reveals evidence that as early as the 1950s the Vatican was aware of Marcial Maciel's psychiatric problems. An official of the congregation for religious wrote the following:
If Maciel presents himself to the Sacred Congregation, the undersigned will order him to receive medical help and (…) to abandon all contact with his pupils (religious) until the Sacred Congregation orders him otherwise. If he does not show up, in two days, it will be best to communicate to Maciel a peremptory order: either he leaves for treatment or remains suspended divinis.
Everything seems to suggest Pope Pius XII wanted to take drastic measures and reduce Maciel to the lay state. But this did not happen as the Pope died and there were high ranking Vatican officials who covered up for Maciel.
This account coincides with what the now former Vatican archivist, Bishop Sergio Pagano, said a few months ago during a book presentation.
BP. SERGIO PAGANO
March 2024
Now I can no longer say the name, but in time you will see that it will come out. There was already a certain founder of a religious movement who was very talked about and had gotten quite prominent. Then at one point a nuncio in some South American country starts telling the Pope: look at this. This founder is gossiped about. We also talk about alcohol and drugs circulating around his friends. Pius XII was on the verge of reducing him to the lay state. Unfortunately, it was at the end of his pontificate. A cardinal waited for the Pope's death and flipped the switch. After the Pope's death, that founder was defended until today, when the scandal broke out years ago.
The retired archivist's and an Italian newspaper's accounts show there were people in the Vatican who covered up for the controversial founder for decades.
JRB
TR: KG
