How successful was the U.S.A.’s nefarious meddling in the 1958 Papal Conclave?
From: Rome
To: Secretary of State
No: 1166, October 11, 2PM
Limited Distribution.
DURING CONVERSATION WITH EMBASSY OFFICER, VATICAN SOURCE EXPRESSED PERSONAL VIEW NEXT POPE WILL BE “ELECTED’ OUTSIDE CONCLAVE BY AGREEMENT BETWEEN CARDINALS. SOURCE SAID PIUS XII ELECTED THIS MANNER AND RECALLED THAT AS CARDINALS WERE ENTERING 1939 CONCLAVE CARD FIZZARDO HAD CALLED HIM ASIDE AND ASKED HIM TO PREPARE BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF PACELLI. ADDED HE CONSULTED WITH MSGR. MONTINI AND BOTH DECIDED FOR OBVIOUS REASONS NOT TO GO AHEAD WITH PIZZARDO’S REQUEST.
SPECULATING ON PIUS XII’S SUCCESSOR SOURCE SAID COLLEGE MAY VERY WELL CHOOSE AN OLD CARDINAL WHOSE SHORT PONTIFICATE MAY BE DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO THE RE-ORGANIZATION OF THE ROMAN CURIA LEFT BY DECEASED POPE IN “DEPLORABLE STATE.” SOURCE INDICATED ELECTION OF SIRI, RUFFINI, OTTAVIANI WOULD BE “MISFORTUNE FOR THE CHURCH'” SINCE THESE THREE CARDINALS HAVE AN UNREALISTIC APPROACH TO GREAT PROBLEMS FACING WORLD TODAY. SOURCE SAID ELECTION OF ANYONE OF THREE COULD DEPEND ON INFLUENCE OF AMERICAN CARDINAL SAND VOLUNTEERED SUGGESTION U.S. AUTHORITIES WOULD DO WELL EXERCISE DISCREETLY “THEIR OWN INFLUENCE ON CERTAIN AMERICAN CARDINALS.”
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