Pope Francis may know the remarkable story of Admiral John Byng, shot to death after a Royal Navy court martial for failing to engage the enemy violently enough. The extreme punishment was explained by Voltaire in his novel Candide as being pour encourager les autres – to keep other admirals on their toes.
An example of the same approach may be suspected in the Pope’s treatment of Cardinal Angelo Becciu, whom he has summarily dismissed from his top Vatican position on a charge, so far unproved and strongly denied, of embezzlement. The difference may be that the British did at least offer the admiral a fair trial, and he was acquitted on one charge of cowardice. Cardinal Becciu has had no such opportunity to defend himself, and Pope Francis’ action is not easy to square with the principles of natural justice.
01 October 2020, The Tablet
Fair trials and forward thinking
Vatican corruption
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