(ZENIT News / Rome, 11.08.2024).- In a forceful statement, Cardinal Gerhard Mūller met the accusations published by America’s The Pillar, suggesting financial irregularities during his mandate at the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), between 2012 and 2017. The Cardinal described these accusations as an attempt to revive a story already clarified almost a decade ago, for the sole purpose of damaging his reputation.
The Pillar’s report, published at the end of July of this year, insinuated that Mǔller’s destitution as Prefect of the CDF by Pope Francis was linked to alleged financial problems in the Dicastery. According to the report, significant sums of money in cash were found in the CDF’s offices, and funds destined to the Dicastery were deposited in Cardinal Mũller’s personal account. However, the Cardinal has rejected these affirmations, assuring that the money always belonged to the Dicastery and that any financial movement was made under regular procedures.
The Cardinal also criticized the lack of proofs and clear testimonies in The Pillar’s report, pointing out that the article is based on “anonymous sources” and not on verifiable facts. Cardinal Müller stressed that Cardinal George Pell himself, who at that time headed the Vatican’s Secretariat of Economy, concluded that there were no financial losses for the CDF.
Mǔller stressed that he was never ordered to return any money, given that the funds in question always belonged to the Congregation and not to him personally. Moreover, a source close to the Cardinal confirmed to LifeSiteNews that the money was documented and destined to the CDF, and that the accusations that Müller used those funds for personal ends lack all foundation.
Despite the accusations, Müller continues counting on the support of key figures in the Vatican. A source that worked closely with Cardinal George Pell pointed out that, despite the rumours, Pell and Mǔller enjoyed a relationship of mutual respect and collaborated on several projects, after Pell returned to Rome following his unjust imprisonment.
Beyond the financial accusations, The Pillar’s report also touches on a more profound aspect: the theological differences between Cardinal Mǔller and Pope Francis. Since his departure from the CDF, Müller has become a critic of some of the Pontiff’s positions. According to some observers, this tension could have been a factor of Müller’s destitution.
During his mandate, Cardinal Mǔller energetically defended traditional Catholic doctrine, opposing attempts to change the Church’s teaching on controversial subjects, such as Marriage and Communion for the divorced who have remarried. These positions placed him in opposition to ideas promoted by Pope Francis and his immediate circle.
Some individuals close to Mǔller have suggested that the publication of The Pillar’s report could be part of a wider effort to discredit his figure. Others see this attack as an attempt to silence a critical voice of Catholic orthodoxy in the context of growing tensions within the Church.
