Authors: David Yallop
Many men would have felt honoured at such an offer. Baggio was
not; he was angry. He saw his future in the short term as dominating the Puebla conference in Mexico. He believed that the Church’s future lay in the Third World. In the long term he saw his place in Rome, at the heart of the action. In Venice he would be out of sight and, more important, out of mind when it came to formulating future plans. The manner of his refusal to accept Venice astonished Luciani. Obedience to the Pope and to the Papacy had been instilled into Luciani from his earliest days in the seminary at Feltre and the obedience that Luciani had acquired had been of an unquestioning nature. Through the years as his career had progressed he had begun to question, most notably over the issues of Vatican Incorporated and
Humanae Vitae,
but it would have been unthinkable for Luciani publicly to lead a call to arms even on issues as important as these. This was the man who at Paul’s request had written article after article that supported the Papal line, whom when writing such an article on divorce, gave it to his secretary Father Mario Senegaglia with the wry comment, ‘This will bring me many headaches I am sure, when it is published, but the Pope has requested it.’ To refuse a direct request from the Pope in the arrogant way Baggio was now doing was beyond belief. The two men were functioning with two quite different sets of values. Luciani was considering what was best for the Roman Catholic Church. Baggio was considering what was best for Baggio.
There were several reasons why the Pope had concluded that Baggio should move from Rome to Venice. Not least of these was one particular name on the list of Masons which Luciani had received – Baggio, Masonic name Seba, Lodge number 85/2640. Enrolled on August 14th, 1957.
Luciani had made further enquiries after his conversation with Cardinal Felici. A remark of Felici’s had nagged away at him. ‘Some on the list are Masons. Others are not.’ Luciani’s problem was to resolve the genuine from the false. The enquiries had helped by producing some clarifications.
The meeting between Baggio and Luciani has been described to me as ‘a very violent argument with the violence and anger entirely deriving from His Eminence. The Holy Father remained calm.’
Calm or otherwise, Luciani had an unresolved problem at lunch time. Venice was still without a leader and Baggio was insisting his place was in Rome. A thoughtful Luciani began his soup.
The Indian summer that Rome had been enjoying throughout the month gave way to cooler weather on that Thursday. After a short siesta Luciani decided to confine his exercise for the day to indoor
walking. He began to stroll alone through the corridors. At 3.30 p.m. the Pope returned to his study and made a number of telephone calls. He talked to Cardinal Felici in Padua and Cardinal Benelli in Florence. He discussed the events of the morning, including the Baggio confrontation, and then they moved on to talk of his next appointment, which was to see Villot. The various decisions Luciani had arrived at were about to be given to the Secretary of State.
Luciani and Villot sat sipping their camomile tea. In an attempt to get closer to his Secretary of State, the Pope had from time to time during their numerous meetings spoken to Villot in his native French. It was a gesture the Cardinal from St Amande-Tallende appreciated. He had been deeply impressed at how quickly Luciani had settled into the Papacy. The word had gone out from the Secretariat of State’s office to a number of Luciani’s friends and former colleagues. Monsignor Da Rif, still working at Vittorio Veneto, was one of many to be given a progress report.
From Cardinal Villot down they all admired Papa Luciani’s way of working. His ability to get to the root of problems, to make decisions quickly and firmly. They were very struck with his ability to carry out his tasks. It was clear that he was a man who took decisions and stuck to them. He did not give way to pressure. In my own personal experience this ability to stick to his own line was a very remarkable feature of Albino Luciani.
During the late afternoon of September 28th Jean Villot was given an extended demonstration of this ability that had so impressed him during the previous month. The first problem to be discussed was the Istituto per le Opere di Religione, the Vatican Bank. Luciani was by now in possession of a great deal of highly detailed information. Villot himself had already submitted a preliminary report. Luciani had also obtained further information from Villot’s deputy Archbishop Giuseppe Caprio, and from Benelli and Felici.
For Bishop Paul Marcinkus, who had initiated the plan and played such an active helping role for Calvi in the takeover of the Banca Cattolica, that chicken and a great many others were now going to come home to roost. Villot advised the Pope that inevitably word had leaked on the investigation into the Bank. The Italian Press were becoming very curious and one major story had just been published.
Newsweek
magazine clearly had some excellent Vatican sources. It had learned that before the Conclave a considerable number of
cardinals had requested a full report on the Vatican Bank from Villot. It had also, through its ‘knowledgeable source’, picked up the fact that there were moves afoot to oust Marcinkus. The magazine quoted its Curial source: ‘There’s some movement to get him out of there. He’ll probably be made an auxiliary bishop.’
Luciani smiled. ‘Does
Newsweek
tell me with whom I am replacing Marcinkus?’
Villot shook his head.
As their conversation progressed, Luciani made it clear that he had no intention of leaving Marcinkus in Vatican City, let alone the Vatican Bank. Having personally assessed the man during a 45-minute interview earlier in the month Luciani had concluded that Marcinkus might be more gainfully employed as an auxiliary bishop in Chicago. He had not indicated his thinking to Marcinkus but the cool politeness he had shown to the man from Cicero had not passed unnoticed.
Returning to his bank offices after the interview, Marcinkus later confided to a friend, ‘I may not be around here much longer.’
To Calvi via the telephone and to his colleagues in the bank he observed: ‘You would do well to remember that this Pope has different ideas from the last one. There are going to be changes around here. Big changes.’
Marcinkus was right. Luciani advised Villot that Marcinkus was to be removed immediately. Not in a week’s or a month’s time. The following day. He was to take leave of absence. A suitable post in Chicago would be found for him once the problem of Cardinal Cody had been resolved.
Villot was told that Marcinkus was to be replaced by Monsignor Giovanni Angelo Abbo, secretary of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs of the Holy See. As a key figure in the financial tribunal of the Vatican, Monsignor Abbo would demonstrably be bringing to his new job a great deal of financial expertise.
The inspiration of Pope John’s first 100 days had certainly galvanized Albino Luciani. The claws of the lion which his intimates had waited to see revealed, were on full display to Villot on the evening of September 28th. Luciani, a man so unassuming and gentle, had, before his Papacy, seemed much smaller than his 5 ft 9 ins. To many observers over the years he had seemed to melt into the wallpaper. His manner was so quiet and calm that after a large gathering many were unaware that he had been present. Villot was left in no doubt of his presence on this evening. Luciani told him:
There are other changes within the Istituto per le Opere di Religione that I wish to be implemented immediately. Mennini, De Strobel and Monsignor De Bonis are to be removed. At once. De Bonis is to be replaced by Monsignor Antonetti. The other two vacancies I will discuss with Monsignor Abbo. I wish all of our links with the Banco Ambrosiano Group to be cut and the cut must happen in the very near future. It will be impossible, in my view, to effect this step with the present people holding the reins.
Father Magee remarked to me, in terms of a general observation, ‘He knew what he wanted. He was very clear indeed about what he wanted. The manner in which he went about his aims was very delicate.’
The ‘delicacy’ lay in his explanation to Villot. Both men knew that Marcinkus, Mennini, De Strobel and De Bonis were all men with inextricable links not only with Calvi but also with Sindona. What was not said could not be misquoted at a later date.
Cardinal Villot noted these changes without much comment. He had been aware of a great deal over the years. Many within the Vatican considered him ineffectual but for Villot it had often been a case of deliberately looking the other way. In the Vatican village it was called survival technique.
Luciani moved to the problem of Chicago and his discussion with Baggio concerning the ultimatum that was to be given to Cardinal John Cody. Villot voiced approval. Like Baggio he regarded Cody as a running sore in the American Church. That the problem was finally to be solved gave the Secretary of State deep gratification. Luciani stated that he wished soundings to be taken via the Papal Nuncio in Washington about a possible successor to Cody, and observed, ‘There has been a betrayal of trust in Chicago. We must ensure that whoever replaces His Eminence has the ability to win the hearts and minds of all within the diocese.’
Luciani discussed Baggio’s refusal to accept the See of Venice and his continued determination that Baggio should go where he was told to go. ‘Venice is not a tranquil bed of roses. It needs a man of Baggio’s strength. I wish you to talk with him. Tell him that we all have to make some sacrifice at this time. Perhaps you should remind him that I had no desire for
this
job.’ The argument would have limited value for Baggio who himself had earnestly desired to be Paul’s successor but Villot diplomatically neglected to make this point.
Luciani then advised Villot of the other changes he planned to
make. Cardinal Pericle Felici was to become Vicar of Rome, replacing Cardinal Ugo Poletti, who would replace Benelli as Archbishop of Florence. Benelli was to become Secretary of State. He would take over Villot’s job.
Villot considered the proposed changes that included his own ‘resignation’. He was old and tired. Further, he was also seriously ill. An illness not helped by the two packs of cigarettes he smoked daily. Villot had made it plain in late August that he sought early retirement. Now it had come somewhat sooner than he had bargained for. There would be a period of handover of course but to all intents and purposes his power was now ceasing. The fact that Luciani proposed to replace him with Benelli must have been particularly vexing to Villot. Benelli had been his number two in the past and it had not been the happiest of relationships.
Villot studied the notes he had made of the proposed changes. Albino Luciani, placing his own handwritten notes to one side, poured out more tea for both of them. Villot said, ‘I thought you were considering Casaroli as my replacement?’
‘I did, for a considerable time. I think much of his work is brilliant but I share Giovanni Benelli’s reservations about some of the policy initiatives that have been made in the recent past towards Eastern Europe.’
Luciani waited for some sign or word of encouragement. The silence grew longer. Never during their entire relationship had Villot dropped his formality; always there was the mask, always there was the coldness. Luciani had tried directly and also via Felici and Benelli to inject some warmth into his dealings with Villot, but the cold professional aloofness that was his hallmark remained. Eventually it was Luciani who broke the silence, ‘Well, Eminence?’
‘You are the Pope. You are free to decide.’
‘Yes, yes, but what do you think?’
Villot shrugged. ‘These decisions will please some and distress others. There are cardinals within the Roman Curia who worked hard to get you elected who will feel betrayed. They will consider these changes, these appointments contrary to the late Holy Father’s wishes.’
Luciani smiled. ‘Was the late Holy Father planning to make appointments in perpetuity? As for the cardinals who claim to have worked hard to make me Pope – understand this – I have said it many times, but clearly it needs saying yet again. I did not seek to become Pope. I did not want to be Pope. You cannot name one single cardinal
to whom I proposed anything. Not one whom I persuaded in any form to vote for me. It was not my wish. It was not my doing. There are men here within Vatican City who have forgotten their purpose. They have reduced this to just another market place. That is why I am making these changes.’
‘It will be said that you betrayed Paul.’
‘It will also be said that I have betrayed John. Betrayed Pius. Each will find his own guiding light according to his needs. My concern is that I do not betray Our Lord Jesus Christ.’
The discussion continued for nearly two hours. At 7.30 p.m. Villot departed. He went back to his own offices near by and, sitting at a desk, studied the list of changes. Then, reaching into a drawer, he pulled out another list – perhaps it was just coincidence. Every one of the clerical personnel whom Luciani was moving was on the list of alleged Masons. The list which the disenchanted P2 member Pecorelli had published. Marcinkus. Villot. Poletti. Baggio. De Bonis. While each of the clerical replacements so far nominated by Luciani was notably absent from the list of Masons. Benelli. Felici. Abbo. Antonetti.
Cardinal Villot put the list to one side and studied another note on his desk. It was the final confirmation that the proposed meeting between the USA Committee on population control and Albino Luciani would take place on October 24th. A Government group which was seeking to change the Roman Catholic Church’s position on the contraceptive pill would in a few weeks meet a Pope who desired to make just such a change. Villot rose from his desk leaving the various papers carelessly in view. The lion had indeed revealed his claws.