Paul Marcinkus

Paul Casimir Marcinkus (b. January 15 1922 Cicero, Illinois - d. February 20 2006 Sun City, Arizona) was an American archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He is best known for his controversial term as President of the Vatican Bank between 1971 and 1989. [ [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmarcp.html Archbishop Paul Casimir Marcinkus [Catholic-Hierarchy ] ]

Early life

Marcinkus was born in Cicero, Illinois, as the son of an immigrant window washer who arrived in Cicero in 1914. His Lithuanian father, Mykolas, had left Lithuania to escape possible induction into the Russian army. Moving to the United States, he briefly lived in Pittsburgh before heading to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to help a cousin whose farm needed workers. He moved to Cicero after he then found work in a Chicago steel mill. By the time his fourth son, Paulius, arrived, he had started washing windows for the Leo Sheridan Co., a job he would hold for 30 years.

After attending Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Marcinkus was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 3 1947, and served parish assignments with both St. Christina's and Holy Cross church on the city's far south side. By 1949, he had been appointed to the archdiocese's matrimonial tribunal, which processed applications to have marriages annulled.

International career

Marcinkus arrived in Rome in 1950 to study canon law at Gregorian University, and began to accept special assignments from the Vatican. Upon earning his degree in 1953, he was asked to stay with the Vatican on a full-time basis, and became friends with Giovanni Battista Montini, who would become Pope a decade later. Enrolling in the two-year diplomatic school, Marcinkus headed to Bolivia in 1955 and Canada four years later, serving as secretary in the Vatican nunciature in both instances. The titles were the equivalent of a secretary at a foreign embassy.

In December 1959, he returned to Rome to work in the office of the secretariat of state, and had learned enough Italian to serve as an occasional interpreter for Pope John XXIII. With the ascension of Pope Paul VI to the papacy, Marcinkus became the prime English translator, and also helped handle the arrangements for the pontiff's overseas trips. In addition, his height and muscular build helped him serve as a bodyguard for Paul VI, earning him the nickname, "The Gorilla."

On January 6 1969, he was ordained to the episcopate as Titular Archbishop of Horta and Secretary of the Roman Curia. [ [http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article346957.ece Priest at the heart of 'God's Banker' scandal dies at 84 - Europe, News - Independent.co.uk ] ] His ferocious protection of the Pope remained in evidence two months later when he refused to allow Secret Service agents in a private meeting between the pontiff and U.S. President Richard Nixon, saying, "I'll give you 60 seconds to get out of here or you can explain to the President why the Pope could not see him today."Fact|date=October 2008

In 1979, Marcinkus was reportedly targeted by the infamous Red Brigade terrorist group for possible kidnapping or assassination after his address and other documents were found in the apartment of two group members.

On September 26 1981, Marcinkus was appointed Pro-President of Vatican City, making him the third most powerful person in the Vatican, behind Pope John Paul II and the secretary of state.

He resigned his position on October 30 1990.

Vatican Banker

Marcinkus was the president of the Istituto per le Opere di Religione or the Vatican Bank from 1971 to 1989. As early as April 24 1973, Marcinkus was questioned in his Vatican office by federal prosecutor William Aronwald and Bill Lynch, head of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the United States Department of Justice, about his involvement in the delivery of 14.5 million US$ worth of counterfeit bonds to the Vatican in July 1971, part of a total request of 950 million US$ worth stated in a letter on Vatican notepaper.

His name and the official letter had come up during the investigation of an international gang which included Vincent Rizzo who eventually served 12 years in prison. Marcinkus "said he considered the charges against him serious but not based enough on fact that he would violate the Vatican Bank's confidentiality to defend himself. ...back in the States it was agreed on the highest levels that the case against Marcinkus could not be pursued any further." [Joseph Coffey and Jerry Schmetterer: "The Coffey Files" (St. Martin's Press, 1992; Paperback edition 1993 ISBN 0-312-92922-6)]

In July 1982, Marcinkus was implicated in financial scandals being reported on the front pages of newspapers and magazines throughout Europe, particularly the collapse of the Banco Ambrosiano, in which Propaganda Due (aka "P2"), a masonic lodge, was involved (Marcinkus had been a director of Ambrosiano Overseas, based in Nassau, Bahamas, and had been involved with Ambrosiano's chairman Roberto Calvi for a number of years). He was also involved with Michele Sindona, who had links with the Mafia.

In 1984 Marcinkus was named as a possible accomplice in the murder of Pope John Paul I by investigative journalist David Yallop in his book 'In God's Name'. Yallop made allegations regarding a number of suspects associated with Marcinkus' business dealings with members of the International Mafia on behalf of the Vatican Bank and he may face criminal exposure should he be removed from his position at the bank.

Upon the election of Pope John Paul II Marcinkus was promoted within the Vatican bank and remained in office for several years before the scandal widened when the body of financier Roberto Calvi, whose Banco Ambrosiano had dealt with Marcinkus, was found hanging under London's Blackfriars Bridge in June 1982. The death of Calvi was seen by some as symbolic, since Propaganda Due (P2) referred to themselves as the 'Black Friars'. Adding to the troubles, journalist Mino Pecorelli, who had been investigating Marcinkus, the Vatican Bank and ties to organized crime, was found dead in 1979. [ Cowell, Alan. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1DF143DF933A25755C0A965958260 "Andreotti at Crux of Murder Inquiry"] , "The New York Times", June 10 1993. Accessed March 23 2008.] Ultimately Marcinkus was not indicted. [ "The New York Times" " [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEED91E39F933A05757C0A96F948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all U.S. prelate not indicted in Italy bank scandal] " April 30, 1989, accessed March 23 2008. .]

He stepped aside as head of the Vatican Bank soon after, with a board of laymen taking control of the bank. [Wall Street Journal Western Edition,"Vatican gives control of bank to board of laymen, as archbishop steps aside" June 21, 1989, page A17] Eventually, the Vatican paid £145 million as settlement to creditors, with Marcinkus observing in 1986 that: "You can't run the Church on Hail Marys" [May 25 1986, "Observer", London]

Later life

He returned to the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1990 before retiring to Arizona where he lived as a parish priest, refusing to discuss his role at the Vatican. Marcinkus died in Sun City, Arizona, aged 84, of undisclosed causes.

See also

*Propaganda Due
*Banco Ambrosiano scandal
*Emanuela Orlandi
*Archbishop Gilday

References

Additional Sources

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4737052.stm BBC News Online, "Scandal-hit Vatican banker dies", 21 February 2006]
* [http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article346957.ece "IndependentOnline", "Priest at the heart of 'God's banker' scandal dies at 84", 22 February 2006]