Her name appears on the front page of the Italian
edition of Benedict XVI’s new book on Jesus’ infancy: “Translation and
editing of Italian edition by Ingrid Stampa”. And yet the mention of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s former governess, who still had access and a set of keys to the papal apartment after the 2005 conclave, was quite unexpected.
Ingrid Stampa and Elio Guerriero had co-edited the first volume of the Pope’s “Jesus of Nazareth” trilogy which was translated into Italian by Chicca Galli and Roberta Zuppet.
Mrs. Stampa also translated the second volume “From the Entrance Into Jerusalem to the Resurrection” (Vatican Publishing House, 2011) into Italian. This book was edited by Pierluca Azzaro.
But this year, Professor Stampa, who was recruited to work in the German office of the Secretariat of State’s first section, came under the spotlight for her alleged involvement in the Vatileaks scandal because of her relations with Paolo Gabriele – the Pope’s former butler who was sentenced to a prison sentence after he confessed to photocopying and distributing confidential documents from the papal secretariat.
It was German journalist and Vatican affairs expert Paul Badde - who is highly esteemed by the Pope and his personal secretary Georg Gänswein - who associated Mrs. Stampa’s name with the Vatileaks scandal (along with those of Cardinal and the Pope’s former secretary, Bishop Josef Clemens) in an article published on the website of German weekly newspaper “Die Welt”.
In his article, Badde presumed that as a result of Mrs. Stampa’s frequent contact with Paolo Gabriele she had ended up conditioning him in some way.
According to this distinguished journalist the motive was not to be found in the power struggles within the Holy See but among those closest to the Pope.
Neither the individuals who were directly implicated in the scandal nor the Vatican Press Office reacted to or denied Badde’s claims.
Eight days later, on 23 July, La Repubblica, one of Italy’s main daily newspapers, re-launched Badde’s article giving it great focus.
Within the space of just a few hours, the Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, issued a statement strongly denying what had been said in the article.
Another statement rejecting Badde’s claims as false was issue by the Vatican Secretariat of State – where Cardinal Sardi had worked for many years as head of the office that deals with the Pope’s speeches and where Ingrid Stampa still works today.
Mrs. Stampa was one of the individuals from inside the Vatican, whose names Paolo Gabriele mentioned during his trial and whom he had been in contact with.
In addition, after a meeting with Benedict XVI, one influential cardinal let it slip that in the papal apartment, the information given in Badde’s article was considered to be reliable.
It has also emerged that Professor Stampa’s access to the papal apartment has been restricted.
But the fact that she has been entrusted the task of editing and translating the Pope’s latest publication - which was completed and given in for editing after Paolo Gabriele’s arrest - and more importantly, the fact that her name has been printed on the front page, alongside Benedict XVI’s, seems to indicate that no substantial evidence has been found against Raztnger’s former governess.