C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001555 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE); INR; DRL 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE 46/00 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/11 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PINR, PINS, PROP, SOCI, PU, VT 
SUBJECT:  OPUS DEI TRIES TO CLARIFY RELATIONSHIP WITH 
 
ACCUSED SPY 
 
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY CDA JOSEPH MERANTE FOR REASONS 1.5 (A) 
AND (D) . 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  01555  201557Z 
2. (C) THE CHANCELLOR OF THE PRELATURE OF OPUS DEI, FATHER TOM 
BOHLIN, CALLED CHARGE ON MARCH 15 AND REQUESTED AN URGENT 
MEETING.  CHARGE AND BOHLIN MET MORNING OF MARCH 16. 
BOHLIN SAID THAT OPUS DEI HAD CONDUCTED AN ACCOUNTING OF 
ALL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY ACCUSED SPY ROBERT 
HANSSEN.  HE CLAIMED THAT HANSSEN CONTRIBUTED $4,000 
THROUGH 1992, AND MADE NO CONTRIBUTIONS AFTER 1992. 
 
3. (C) ANSWERING QUESTION POSED BY CHARGE, BOHLIN SAID THAT 
HANSSEN WAS STILL A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING OF OPUS DEI. 
HE SAID THAT HANSSEN'S SPIRITUAL ADVISOR WOULD BE SPEAKING 
TO HIM TO GAUGE HIS INTENTIONS. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: REQUEST FOR URGENT MEETING STRUCK POST AS 
UNUSUAL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME OPUS DEI HAS OFFICIALLY 
ASKED FOR A MEETING. IT APPEARS THAT OPUS DEI IS ATTEMPTING 
TO PREEMPT ANY CHARGES THAT IT PROFITED FINANCIALLY FROM 
ALLEGED ACTIVITIES OF HANSSEN.  MERANTE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA01555 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL