OUR HOLY (GOD)FATHER

Last week I watched The Godfather III on TV.

Was this a coincidence that it was shown at the time that the Vatican conclave was considering a new pope or was it a deliberate and cynical scheduling move on the part of the TV programmers? Coincidence maybe but deliberate I doubt it given that current schedulers lack the maturity and sophistication to make such a leap. I prefer to think of it as serendipity.

In Godfather III the murder, intrigue, mayhem and lust for power is set against a backdrop of the events in the Vatican of the late 1970's and early 1980's depicting, well, murder, intrigue, mayhem and lust for power.

The Vatican banking scandal as depicted in the film seems like the imaginings of Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola but no, it was real. 'Gods Banker' Roberto Calvi was found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge in London with pocketfuls of gold bullion, an apparent suicide that has subsequently been suggested as murder (and with a Mafia connection). In the film the Corleone family (Mafia) murdered the banker and hung him under a bridge with pocketfuls of money. Very close to the real thing.

In Godfather III the death of Pope John-Paul I was hinted at as murder. In reality his death is a mystery. No autopsy or proper investigation was conducted. He simply poped popped his clogs but there have been rumours.

Now we have the (almost) unprecedented situation of a pope resigning while still in power. Why? Ill health, dissatisfaction or, as is being hinted even by Vatican insiders to get out before news of a major scandal surfaces. 

What could that be? Paedophilia? No, that's been rife for years - even the current Brit papal candidate had to excuse himself because he's been fiddling with young priests. 

Connections with dodgy military/political states? No. They've been doing that for centuries and more recently with those fascists, Nazis and Americans right up to now with their association with Blom and Voss and industrial group that were Nazi supporters.

A banking scandal? Yes maybe as the '80's one hasn't properly been sorted out. Then it was a couple of billion (euro equivalents). Today it could be enough to bring down Italy and surrounding supporting countries.

Hey all you catholics out there. Be prepared to shell out a bit extra in the offerings this week OK?