[THE road to the top is long and…]
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-07-15Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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THE road to the top is long and arduous - and never entirely straight and true.
Archbishop Paul Casimir Marcinkus, son of a Lithuanian window cleaner, born in Chicago, is now head of the Vatican's bank - the Institute for Religious Works (IOR).
He's a rather unlikely archbishop - fond of fast cars, smokes heavily, strong American accent and a nice palace in Rome overlooking a park.
Of course he had. no experience in banking before he was appointed secretary to the IOR. No doubt this lack of previous experience will be used as the extenuating factor when the full story comes out - if it ever does -concerning the death (by hanging under Blackfriars Bridge, London), of Roberto Calvi, president of the Banco Ambrosiano.
The Banco Ambrosiano has a chequered history to say the least. It has taken over many of the assets of one Michele Sidona, who is now serving a 25 year jail sentence in New York.
Sidona was a close business partner of the Vatican's bank, and Calvi's bank took over that role when Sidona was locked away.
Little is known about the dealings of the Banco Ambrosiano and the Bank of Italy has spent some time trying to work out what it is up to. There has been talk of shady deals with central and South American interests, (including finance for the sale of Exocets to Argentina) and movement of money and assets out of Italy using the secret facilities available to them through the links with the Vatican (the Church can do it anonymously).
But when officials from the Bank of Italy have tried serious investigation of Ambrosiano, they've faced losing their jobs, even ending up in jail on trumped charges. Archbishop Marcinkus has been asked to help and has not been cooperative. On one occasion he simply failed to turn up to a Maybe Calvi dered rather than simply and conveniently committing suicide. Certainly an attempt had been made on the life of the vice-chairman of Ambrosiano earlier this year.
At the moment the rugged Archbishop is sitting tight in his office directly below the Pope's private apartments. Perhaps it would be best if he stayed there.
"Cut him down!
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. : Organiser, July 15,