When did the word “dossier” become so sinister? If you’re eager to ratchet up the tension or create a sense of skulduggery then the other options simply won’t suffice. When, for instance, you are concocting outlandish theories about why Benedict XVI resigned, there’s a lack of drama in talking about cardinals producing a “file” after they had completed their investigations. No, a “secret dossier” landing on the pope’s desk has much more oomph.
The same goes for rumours about conclaves being influenced, or stashes of documents in Eastern European archives revealing the “truth” about assassination attempts against John Paul II. And, frankly, in an age of VatiLeaks or dubious dealings at the Vatican bank, a word like “dossier”, with all its menacing overtones, can be hard to resist.
