Rome’s “cardinal vicar,” Baldassare Reina, has denied involvement in a criminal investigation concerning his brother, Domenico Reina, who is accused of receiving a lucrative public contract through a corrupt scheme aimed at currying favor with Catholic voters. Despite the “cardinal’s” claims of ignorance, published phone transcripts suggest his active encouragement of the deal, exposing not only potential complicity but the profound moral and spiritual decay inherent in the post-conciliar structures.
The Stench of Corruption: A Symptom of Systemic Apostasy
The allegations surrounding “Cardinal” Baldassare Reina and his brother, Domenico, are not merely a case of individual moral failing; they are a glaring symptom of the profound rot that has consumed the post-conciliar structures. The reported scheme, involving a 128,000-euro public contract awarded to Domenico Reina through cronyism at a Sicilian healthcare agency, Cefpas, with the explicit aim of “curry[ing] favor with the Catholic vote,” reveals a disturbing intersection of political machinations and the exploitation of ecclesiastical influence for temporal gain. This is a far cry from the Church’s divine mission.
While “Cardinal” Reina, through his attorney, issued a statement claiming he is “completely uninvolved in the facts being investigated” and “completely unaware of his brother’s actions,” these denials ring hollow in the face of evidence presented by La Repubblica. The newspaper published alleged transcripts of phone conversations from November 2023, in which then-Bishop Reina reportedly urged his brother to accept the Cefpas offer, citing its prestige and the potential displeasure of a local Forza Italia MP, Margherita La Rocca Ruvolo, if he did not. This directly contradicts his claims of ignorance and suggests active complicity in a scheme designed to leverage his ecclesiastical position for political and financial advantage.
Exploiting the “Catholic Vote”: A Betrayal of Spiritual Mission
The core of the prosecution’s hypothesis – that the contract was intended to “channel Catholic voters” to a political candidate – highlights a fundamental perversion of the Church’s role. The Church, as established by Christ, is a spiritual society ordained to the salvation of souls, not a political machine to be manipulated for electoral gains. Pius XI, in his encyclical Quas Primas, unequivocally stated that “the Church, established by Christ as a perfect society, demands for itself by a right belonging to it, which it cannot renounce, full freedom and independence from secular authority.” The idea that a “cardinal” could be used, or even inadvertently allow himself to be used, as a conduit for political influence through corrupt financial dealings, is an affront to this foundational principle.
This incident demonstrates how the conciliar sect, by its embrace of worldly entanglements and its abandonment of the Church’s supernatural mission, has become indistinguishable from any other secular power structure. The pursuit of “relevance” and “engagement” with the world, a hallmark of the post-conciliar era, has led to a situation where spiritual authority is bartered for political favors, and the “Catholic vote” is treated as a commodity to be traded. This is not the Regnum Christi, but the Regnum Mundi.
The Moral Bankruptcy of “Clerical” Denials
The statement issued by “Cardinal” Reina’s attorney, asserting that “any reference to the cardinal in the investigation documents pertains exclusively to the assessments or intentions of third parties, not supported by any agreement or pact with the same, and does not imply any responsibility, not even moral, on the part of the cardinal himself,” is a masterpiece of legalistic evasion. It attempts to absolve him of all culpability, even moral, despite the reported phone transcripts suggesting his active encouragement of the deal.
From the perspective of integral Catholic faith, such denials are not only unconvincing but spiritually perilous. A true shepherd of souls would be vigilant against even the appearance of evil, especially when his family is involved in dealings that exploit his sacred office. The maxim bonum ex integra causa, malum ex quocumque defectu (good requires a whole cause, evil arises from any defect) applies here. The defect lies in the very structure that allows such “cardinals” to operate with apparent impunity, insulated from the moral demands of the Gospel.
A Pattern of Scandals: The Fruit of Modernist Apostasy
This is not an isolated incident but part of a recurring pattern of financial and moral scandals that have plagued the Vatican and its associated entities since the Second Vatican Council. The conciliar emphasis on “aggiornamento” (updating) and “dialogue with the world” has, in practice, meant an uncritical adoption of worldly methods, including cronyism, financial opacity, and political maneuvering. The post-conciliar structures, having abandoned the supernatural end of the Church, have become fertile ground for the sins of avarice, pride, and ambition.
The reported boast of Roberto Sanfilippo, former director of Cefpas, about helping “the pope’s deputy’s brother” because “Margherita La Rocca asked me to give this young man a hand,” further illustrates the entrenched nature of this cronyism. It reveals a system where personal connections and political loyalty supersede merit and legality, all under the shadow of ecclesiastical influence.
The Call for Uncompromising Judgment
The faithful, adhering to the unchanging teaching of the Church, must view such events not as mere political scandals but as manifestations of the deep spiritual crisis within the conciliar sect. The Church’s mission is to teach, govern, and sanctify, leading souls to eternal salvation. When its highest representatives are entangled in schemes that exploit the faithful for temporal power and financial gain, it is a clear sign of apostasy.
As St. Pius X warned in Pascendi Dominici Gregis, Modernism is the “synthesis of all heresies,” leading to the corruption of faith and morals. The current situation, where a “cardinal vicar” is implicated in a scheme to buy political influence through corrupt contracts, is a stark illustration of this corruption. The faithful are called to reject such compromises and to hold fast to the immutable Tradition of the Church, recognizing that true authority and holiness reside only in communion with the integral Catholic faith, not in the morally bankrupt structures of the post-conciliar era. The maxim extra Ecclesiam nulla salus (outside the Church there is no salvation) applies not only to individual souls but to the very institution that claims to be the Church, yet acts in direct opposition to its divine constitution.
Source:
Rome’s cardinal denies involvement in brother’s corruption probe (pillarcatholic.com)
Date: 12.06.2026