Nexus - 1805 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

stop asking about Tornay's death and think of my Therefore, in a rage, Tornay took his gun, entered the surviving children. He said he was sure | wouldn't want Estermann home and killed Estermann and his wife anything bad to happen to them. That's a threat, isn't before turning the gun on himself. it?” (Follain, 2003, p. 175) The relationship between Tornay and Estermann is What did she know? Baudat states that a year before said to have been complex. First of all, members of the he died, her son confided to her that he and two other = Swiss Guard are all Swiss—as the name indicates. But Swiss Guards were investigating Opus Dei. "The less as Switzerland is internally divided, there are both you know about it, the better," he told her. "Later," said anguage and cultural barriers between the German and Baudat, "I found out from some friends of Tornay that French Swiss. Estermann was German, Tornay French. Estermann was close to Opus Dei and had tried to All the French Swiss Guard members apparently recruit guards into it." (Follain, 2003, p. 47) The requently complained of harassment by their German- question is whether Tornay was carrying out this speaking countrymen and Estermann in particular. investigation on his own, or whether he was asked to After the murders, members of the Swiss Guard were carry it out—and if so, by whom. ormally forbidden to discuss Estermann, Tornay or the The answer to that question might murders with anyone. Hence, be Yvon Bertorello, a member of reporters have been able to interview Vatican intelligence, who claims that only ex-guards. One such ex-guard one of his assignments was to spy on said to Follain: "Tornay was a victim. the Swiss Guard to gauge the ontent The answer to that He wasn't [of] a violent nature but he to which Opus Dei had infiltrated it. question might be was the victim of bullying for three There is no reason to doubt that years...for the Swiss Germans he was someone indeed wanted to know such Yvon Bertorello, the devil in person." (Follain, 2003, facts. Bertorello befriended Tornay, a member pp. 219-20; Mark Fellows, "The Smell and Tornay became an intelligence- of Vatican of Death", Catholic Family News, 3 gatherer. Tornay himself, in speaking November 2003) to his mother, claimed that e was not intelligence who Indeed, Estermann was the only the only Swiss Guard in this . » officer to vote against Tornay's intelligence: gathering exercise. As to claims that one of promotion to lance corporal, but what who ordere Bertorello: his assi nments the Vatican's official version according to author Gérard de g underplays is that he was Villiers, the assignment was given was to spy on the overruled. So even though d Vati late. * T ight h i itis generally accepted that Swiss Guard to grudge against. Estermann Estermann was close to, if not gauge the extent Tornay had his promotion— involved with, Opus Dei. In fact, : . making it less likely that he according to some, his very to which Opus Dei would have had this mad rage involvement with Opus Dei was had infiltrated it. against Estermann. As mentioned, according to some sources Estermann and Tornay had a homosexual he primary reason why his promotion to commander of the Swiss Guard was blocked for several months, no doubt while relationship. Professor Massimo he Vatican tried to find out the Lacchei, in his book Verbum Dei et extent of Estermann’s involve-ment with the organisation — Verbum Gay ("God's Word and Gay Word", Libreria Croce, or to decide whether it would be a good idea to have an Rome, 1999), claims that homosexuality is widespread Opus Dei member as head of the Swiss Guard. But this within the walls of the Vatican. He writes: "I see the act has been buried in so many lies and rumours that Swiss Guard as a kind of hot-house, whose flowers are ew have focused on it. Instead, most headlines have picked by homosexual bishops and cardinals. People in ancied the notion that Estermann and Tornay had a he Vatican tell me the Guards supplement their tiny omosexual affair. wages that way." In Lacchei's book, Estermann and Tornay are featured, though under pseudonyms. Sexual Intrigue in the Swiss Guard Equally, Follain claims that Estermann and Tornay had a The official version as released by the Vatican is that omosexual relationship: it lasted for two years, and fornay had a personal grudge against Estermann. When — ended when Tornay caught his superior with another Estermann was confirmed as commander, Tornay was man. It is believed that when their relationship ended, supposedly also in line for a recommendation but did not Estermann went on to bully Tornay and began a receive the honour, allegedly because Estermann himself personal vendetta for whatever specific reason. If true, ad blocked it. no doubt only the two of them knew. question might be Yvon Bertorello, a member of Vatican intelligence, who claims that one of was to spy on the Swiss Guard to Estermann, gauge the extent to which Opus Dei had infiltrated it. Sexual Intrigue in the Swiss Guard The official version as released by the Vatican is that Tornay had a personal grudge against Estermann. When Estermann was confirmed as commander, Tornay was supposedly also in line for a recommendation but did not receive the honour, allegedly because Estermann himself had blocked it. 56 * NEXUS The answer to that his assignments AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2011 www.nexusmagazine.com