Almost-Spy Operation: Prevost's Intrigues in Peru
According to Roncagliolo, Prevost quietly built coalitions, divided opponents, managed information, and preferred discreet political action to public confrontation. Roncagliolo is broadly sympathetic to Leo XIV.
"As a character to narrate he was a nightmare. He has no phrases, no scenes, no gestures. You ask the sources: 'What did Prevost say at that dramatic and crucial moment?' 'Nothing, I think'.'"
Weakening Opus Dei from Within
Interviewer Titinger described Prevost as "a Trojan horse": "He understands the adversary, doesn't confront him openly, but disables him from within. He's always quiet; that's why he wasn't well known."
Roncagliolo does not reject the characterization and discusses Prevost in those terms.
He also explains how Prevost weakened Opus Dei: "Prevost divided Opus Dei. He offered important appointments to several of its most promising young members, who otherwise would have had to wait decades. By winning over part of them, he neutralized their ability to act as a bloc."
The Sodalicio Investigation
Regarding the Sodalicio affair, Roncagliolo - who is a friend of journalists Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas - says Prevost became their "journalistic editor," directing the collection and documentation of information that was then sent to Rome. Ugaz and Salinas were enemies of Sodalicio, a seemingly traditional Catholic priestly fraternity that was led by homosexuals and is now dissolved.
Roncagliolo describes how the material reached Francis: "They even chose the days to send the material through the nunciature and checked who was handling the mail that day, because there were people who could send it and others who were better avoided. This whole almost-spy operation kept feeding Pope Francis with information."
Roncagliolo adds that these precautions reflected the belief that "the sodalists have partners and friends in the Vatican."
According to Roncagliolo, Prevost also arranged for Francis to receive Paola Ugaz, calling the audience "a sign of protection." "Taking a picture with the Pope meant: 'The Pope is on our side.'"
He adds that Leo XIV is following "the same logic" today by receiving journalist Gareth Gore, author of a book against Opus Dei.
Furthermore, Roncagliolo remarks that Prevost concealed his actions even from close collaborators, recalling that Pedro Salinas "was openly furious with Prevost because he seemed to be doing nothing while he was actually doing things internally."
Reorganizing the Diocese of Callao
In April 2020, Pope Francis accepted the early resignation of Bishop José Luis del Palacio of Callao at 70 years, a prelate associated with the Neocatechumenal Way, and appointed Prevost as Apostolic Administrator. The Vatican gave no official explanation for the early resignation.
Roncagliolo says Prevost reorganized the diocese of Callao, decided which priests would remain or leave, rebuilt Caritas, and restored relations with priests who had been harassed, all "with maximum discretion and without provoking confrontation between different groups within the Church."
Roncagliolo concludes that these methods explain why Francis promoted Prevost to Rome: "This ability to confront very sinister situations with diplomacy, with a gentle hand, with political skill, is what made Francis think: 'This is the successor - or at least the one I want.'"
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