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A Web Of Coverup? In his new statement, Archbishop Viganò recalls his first testimony in August 2018, in order to reiterate that “the person chiefly responsible for covering up the misdeeds committed by Maciel was then-Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.”

“Unfortunately for him, Sandri also allowed himself to be involved by Sodano in this operation to cover up Maciel’s horrible misdeeds,” he adds.

Drawing on his first-hand experience as a member of the diplomatic corps and high-level official in the Vatican Secretariat of State, Archbishop Viganò testifies that through a series of “shady maneuvers,” Cardinal Sandri was transferred to Mexico, to replace Archbishop Justo Mullor, who “was removed from the Apostolic Nunciature in Mexico because he opposed the directives coming from the Secretariat of State to cover up the very serious accusations against Marcial Maciel.”

Archbishop Viganò writes:

“TO REPLACE ARCHBISHOP MULLOR IN MEXICO CITY, IT WAS NECESSARY TO APPOINT A PERSON OF UNFAILING LOYALTY TO SODANO. SANDRI HAD ALREADY GIVEN PROOF OF THIS AS ASSESSOR FOR THE SECTION OF GENERAL AFFAIRS IN THE SECRETARIAT OF STATE. SERVING AT THE TIME AS NUNCIO IN VENEZUELA FOR JUST A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO MEXICO.”

This new testimony echoes his first, in which he wrote:

“IT IS KNOWN THAT SODANO TRIED TO COVER UP THE FATHER MACIEL SCANDAL TO THE END. HE EVEN REMOVED THE NUNCIO IN MEXICO CITY, JUSTO MULLOR, WHO REFUSED TO BE AN ACCOMPLICE IN HIS SCHEME TO COVER MACIEL, AND IN HIS PLACE APPOINTED SANDRI, THEN-NUNCIO TO VENEZUELA, WHO WAS WILLING TO COLLABORATE IN THE COVER-UP.”

In his first testimony, Archbishop Viganò also stated that he informed Cardinal Sandri, along with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, about Theodore McCarrick’s decades-long abuse of priests and seminarians. Sandri was one of several high-ranking prelates who “knew in every detail the situation regarding Cardinal McCarrick,” he testified.

Cardinal Sandri’s links to the Legionaries of Christ and allegations that he kept quiet about Maciel’s misdeeds have been reported widely in both the Italian and English-speaking media, recently and in past years.

Archbishop Viganò notes his “long-standing friendship” with Cardinal Sandri that dates back 50 years to their shared time in the Pontifical Ecclesiastic Academy (a training academy for Vatican diplomats) and the Secretariat of State. He also affirms that his new testimony is inspired “solely” by the bond of that friendship and is offered “for the good of his soul, for the love of the Truth who is Christ Himself, and for the Church, His Bride, whom we served together.”

The former US nuncio also testifies that Pope Francis, having asked him about Sandri, knew about his character and the Mexico transfer, and “promoted [him] to Cardinal-Priest in May 2018 and a month later to Cardinal-Bishop, so that he might confirm him as Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, a candidate prepared by Francis to preside at the next Conclave.”

Archbishop Viganò concludes: “The faithful have a right to know these sordid intrigues of a corrupt court. In the Heart of the Church we seem to glimpse the approaching shadow of Satan’s synagogue (Rev 2:9).”