If you were in any doubt about the strategy behind the Pope’s otherwise indefensible policy of refusing even to comment on the Vigano accusations, here (from as close to the horse’s mouth as we are likely to get), is fulsome confirmation.

‘This trumped-up net has been shown to overflow with hate and fake news. Journalists are doing their job, and Viganò’s statement appears for what it is. The sketchy interests [behind it], in collusion with pseudo-Catholic American media*, have in part been revealed. The tragedy has become a farce.‘ – Father Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor of the influential Jesuit bi-monthly Civilta Cattolica, and a close advisor of Pope Francis, on his Facebook page.

‘What is fascinating about the schismatic #Catholic traditionalists** is how modern, or even liberal, they are upon closer inspection. They feel entitled to reject the living Mystical Body of Christ for a postmodern retro-Church and a cloistered life of hyper-hipsterism in the USA.’ – Fr Antonio Spadarro on Twitter.

*This is an intended slur against The National Catholic Register and EWTN.

**Compare and contrast with the ultramontane papolatry which is the stock-in-trade of Spadaro and Rosica.