TRANSCRIPT

When members of the hierarchy are flat-out busted lying, what they do afterward is even more shameful. By now, if you follow any of this, you know the cast of cardinals Pope Francis has assembled around him as his inner circle looks more like a rogues gallery from a blockbuster Bollywood movie than anything resembling apostolic leaders whose first concern is your eternal fate.

Take, for example, the international brouhaha that has erupted over the deceit emanating from India's Cdl. Oswald Gracias — one of Francis' closest advisers. The center of the scandal, or should we say the former center of the scandal, was one Bp. K.A. William of the Mysore diocese. According to locals, Bp. William has been on something of a tear in his diocese, fathering children left and right, and, as it turns out, is a nominee for the "deadbeat dad of the year" award.

It's so bad that priests are writing to Pope Francis and calling the Indian nuncio and Cdl. Gracias, saying William has to go. The clamor got so loud that even the laity began demanding DNA paternity tests, and that's where Gracias stepped in. Two years ago, he had a phone call with William where he counseled him to have the paternity tests, but — and this is a big "but" — he (the cardinal) would shepherd the entire operation and do massive damage control.

Gracias said he would have the tests done at a Catholic hospital, St. John's College. That way, full control could be exerted over how the case would be handled when the results came back. It is clear Gracias sought to control every aspect of this scandal. That, in fact, is the very purpose of the phone call between him and Bp. William. That phone call was two years ago, but, as fate would have it, a secret recording of it was leaked to Church Militant, and we released the damning evidence two weeks ago in a number of reports from our overseas correspondent Dr. Jules Gomes, headquartered in Rome.

The temperature got so hot under Gracias's seat, that, this past weekend, he actually had to release a video where he denied he had any bad intentions and, moreover, that Church Militant had maliciously edited the audio recording. Well, as the old saying goes, we think his eminence doth protest too much. It is perfectly normal for media operations to edit down the length of audio or video files because people don't have the time to watch the full recording — in this case, almost an hour.

But "editing down" does not mean "doctoring" — with the implication that we "mischievously" changed the content and arranged that content in such a way so as to distort the actual meaning. So, thanks to the cardinal's lies and smears, we are releasing the entire recording so you can judge for yourself. All you have to do is click on the provided link. What you will hear is exactly what we were given — not a second more, not a second less. As an editorial note, if you listen to all of it, you will understand why media operations edit things for length.

Sometimes, the audio is inaudible; other times, it's boring and off-topic and other unrelated topics arise that have nothing to do with the content at hand. But since the cardinal made a formal video about us accusing us of lying, we are happy to release his entire conversation with the accused Bp. William and let you decide for yourselves exactly who is lying, Church Militant or the cardinal.

And since this has escalated owing to the cardinal's lies — when it is established he has lied to the entire country of India — his only choice should be to resign immediately. He has to go. No questions, no hems and haws, no "oh, this or that." The cardinal lied and lied in a big way. Bye-bye, Your Eminence. You are the one who chose this route, and, as we say here in America, you made your bed; now, lie in it.

But Church Militant isn't the only one saying Gracias has to go. One of the most respected secular judges in the whole nation, Michael F. Saldanha told Church Militant he was 

saddened by the pathetic reaction to the indisputable recording published by Church Militant — one of the world's most responsible channels where all facts are independently and forensically checked. ... I was a criminal lawyer of unblemished competence for 32 years and a judge for 16 years when I was listed among the world's 10 best judges. My hallmark was that I always double-checked facts myself. I harbored zero bias and got forensic confirmation before confirmation. Facts are sacred.

Saldanha, a practicing Catholic, who retired from the Bombay and Karnataka high courts, elaborated: 

Cardinal Gracias' explanation is sham and hollow. He acknowledges the phone call itself is authentic and that the finding of the Vatican, the nuncio and the cardinal himself is that the paternity test was absolutely essential to refute the adverse presumption and circumstantial evidence that seals his guilt. ... Bishop William should have been suspended and dismissed. Why were they in collusion for two years, and even now? What does he mean by "mischievous editing"? In this country, we are used to denials and politicians lying through their teeth. But for a prince of the Church to do it is unpardonable.

So concerned about all the lies and deceptions flowing from Gracias, Saldanha even took the extraordinary measure of writing to India's apostolic nuncio, Abp. Leopoldo Girelli, last week, stating Bombay's cardinal archbishop, Oswald Gracias, is guilty of a "serious criminal offense, punishable with 10 years rigorous imprisonment." The judge refers to the cardinal's attempt to arrange the DNA test at the St. John's Medical College, noting India's Supreme Court permits only the National Forensic Institute, Hyderabad, to legally conduct paternity tests.

Gracias is in severe damage control at this point and has passed the point of no return. Insiders tell us he was furious when the phone recording was leaked to Church Militant, and, now, the uproar has forced him to take the extraordinary step of publishing his own video, attempting to refute our reports with his lies and deflections. It's worth noting here that at various times in the recording, Gracias is easily heard repeatedly asking, "Is the line safe?" — meaning, can anyone else hear this? Bishop William gives him the "all clear." Well, that was then. This is now.

Now the whole world is privy to the scandalous, plotting call. Too many men in the hierarchy are abominations, with their lies and deceptions and abuse of authority — all to protect their own butts. Give it up, Your Eminence. You got busted by Church Militant, and you have chosen the route of covering up the crime. Do you really think there are not many around you who are fed up with all this and are, even now, continuing to exhaust themselves to end your reign? After all, how do you think Church Militant got the recording in the first place?

As a close on your career, demonstrate at least one modicum of integrity: Get rid of William and then step down. Any more of this scandal is on your head. To all of the many sources around the cardinal, if he does not step down, feel free to keep sending us the rest of the files we've been discussing with you. You heard that right, Your Eminence.