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Cardinals - from whose ranks the next pope will be chosen - at the Vatican. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

Here's a secret only the new pope will see...

The Vatileaks enquiry report will be for his eyes only.

WE WON’T KNOW the identity of the next head of the Roman Catholic church until next month.

We do, however, already know one of the secrets which will be bestowed on him. The Vatican said today that a secret report on a leaks scandal in 2012 which revealed intrigue and corruption in the Church would be shown exclusively to the future pope, not to voting cardinals.

“The Holy Father has decided that the documents, which only he has seen, will be exclusively available to his successor,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said at a press conference.

Italian media reports had suggested cardinals set to vote in a new pope once Benedict XVI has resigned would be given access to the report.

The Pope’s former butler was convicted last year of leaking sensitive documents in what became known as the ‘Vatileaks’ scandal. Paolo Gabriele was sentenced to 18 months in jail (in an Italian prison, as the Vatican itself doesn’t have a jailhouse).

The documents which Gabriele accessed included letters from cardinals and politicians and papers which Pope Benedict XVI had marked as “to be destroyed”.  Gabriele had claimed that his purpose with leaking some of the information to an Italian journalist had been to tackle alleged corruption at the Vatican, and said he believed Benedict had been ill-informed and possibly manipulated.

- © AFP, 2013

- additional reporting by Susan Daly

Pope’s butler gets 18 months in jail for stealing secret Vatican documents>

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    Mute Ah go on go on
    Favourite Ah go on go on
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    Feb 25th 2013, 12:35 PM

    These documents that only the Pope has seen. Has he written them himself? Maybe he shot the messenger !

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Feb 25th 2013, 5:14 PM

    Exactly what I thought!

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    Mute Tony Hegarty
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    Feb 25th 2013, 2:27 PM

    What could this secret possibly be ?
    Old Pope :
    Ahem it’s like this , the whole Jesus thing was erm …made up .

    New Pope:
    WTF

    Old Pope:
    Sush! We can’t tell anyone though cause the 1.2 billion adoring fans will rip us apart for leading them on.

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    Mute sluazcanal
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    Feb 25th 2013, 12:48 PM

    Sounds like a good movie. Might want to let Tom Hanks know.

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    Mute Patricia Martin
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    Feb 25th 2013, 1:01 PM

    any other CEO of a Business, which is what the Pope is, would have lost his job ,been sent to Prison and hounded by the Media until the truth was laid out for all to see. (a pox on them)

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    Mute Marist '59
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    Feb 25th 2013, 2:40 PM

    The photograph above says it all. Quite astonishing that people actually take these old men seriously.

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    Mute Conor Buggy
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    Feb 25th 2013, 5:33 PM

    Pope Paul VII stands in the papal apartments savoring his resounding victory at conclave when all of a sudden the painting of Jesus over his desk opens and out pops Cornelius Fudge the Minister for Magic…..

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    Mute Lieutenant Worf
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    Feb 25th 2013, 6:14 PM

    Interesting choice of name there Paul VII – why so?

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    Mute Conor Buggy
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    Feb 25th 2013, 7:44 PM

    Just hazarding a guess on what the next one might call himself.

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    Mute Biggins31
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    Feb 25th 2013, 3:51 PM

    More secrets to add to many more secrets – and how many documents over centuries that they destroyed in order to keep up their pretence of piousness when in fact the truth I suspect if far from godliness in deed.

    Shame on the lot of them.
    They are corrupt to the core as an organisation and a good few (too many) individuals.
    They are liars and keepers of many secrets which would expose them really for what they are.

    I recommend “In Gods Name” by David Yallop.
    A shocking WELL detailed indictment of their antics in the last few decades alone.

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    Mute Hilary Powell
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    Feb 25th 2013, 2:35 PM

    Don’t you just love the intrigue of it all !
    I’m always fascinated by men in frocks !

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Feb 25th 2013, 3:32 PM

    And they just love your ovaries.

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    Mute Patricia Mc Carthy
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    Feb 25th 2013, 8:18 PM

    I thought after the recent happenings with secrets and people been told to keep their lips shut that there wouldn’t be any secrets! It will be a new pope but still old ways!

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Feb 25th 2013, 7:41 PM

    J c Should have stuck to the carpentry ,look at the mess thing,s are in

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    Mute Schnucs
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    Feb 25th 2013, 9:49 PM

    Sure, that doesn’t seem suspicious at all and it seems like a fantastic way to stir up confidence in the Catholic Church!!! Well done lads, job well done!

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