Another Corpse in the Closet: The Ugly Story of Eugenio Hasler


Vik van Brantegem, a retired collaborator of the Holy See Press Office, and editor of Korazym.org, published a long April 25 article reopening the case of Eugenio Hasler, 38, a senior executive at the Vatican’s Governatorato, brutally fired by Francis.

The Governatorator’s Prefect is Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, his Secretary General Bishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga whose secretary Hasler was.

A Vatican citizen, son of a major of the Swiss Guard, and Vatican employee since 2005, Hasler still lives in the Vatican.

After receiving anonymous letters, Francis fired him on 28 March 2017 during a personal meeting, unbeknownst to Hasler’s superior. MarcoTosatti.com reports the details:

Francis: “They say that you have a bad temper, that you are unfriendly, that you are domineering.”

Hasler: “I try to help my superiors in carrying out their work.”

“You also have a parking place reserved for your car outside the Governorate.”

Yes, but we all have one.

“Do you often get a new car?”

These are small cars. Swiss Guards buy them duty-free because they have Vatican license plates. After a year or two of service they return to Switzerland, and so they resell the car they have bought.

This is how Francis ended the meeting:

Don’t worry about your superiors, I will speak to them.” Then abruptly: “But starting from tomorrow, don’t set foot in your office.”

You are transferring me to another dicastery?

No, no, it’s fine just like this.

Hasler never received a letter of dismissal. He asked for a proper disciplinary trial. No answer. Letters to Francis, signed by former colleagues, relatives, friends, his mother, went unanswered.

After the dismissal, two Francis journalists Gian Guido Vecchi (Corriere della Sera) and Franca Giansoldati (Il Messaggero), who calls Francis weekly, executed Hasler mediatically calling him “too authoritarian,” and not in line with Francis “mercy.”

During the General Audience on 15 March 2017, Francis said that he who "takes the job away from a worker, commits a grave sin."

Tosatti learned that Hasler stood in the way of Monsignore Paolo Nicolini (Vatican Museums), who wanted to take over his area of responsibility. Francis received Nicolini one day after Hasler’s dismissal.

The list of lay people fired by Francis is long: Libero Milone (Auditor General), Daniel Anrig (Swiss Guard), Matthew Festing (Order of Malta), Domenico Giani (Commander Vatican Gendarmerie), Greg Burke and Paloma Ovejero (Vatican Press Office).

Father John Zuhlsdorf writes on his blog, “I’ve known Eugenio for many years. It’s about time that his story be told.” And, “He truly is a good man.”


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