Pancakes, the Yard and Kate Adie

Mgr Kieran Conry was Secretary to Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Bruno Heim in 1982, and the Pope stayed two nights at the Nunciature
BECAUSE of the Falklands War, the whole thing was scaled down: an official state visit would have been misinterpreted by the Argentinians. So that it was a pastoral visit rather than a formal visit. For instance when the Pope arrived at Gatwick, he wasn't met by Mrs Thatcher but by the Nuncio, the Duke of Norfolk and Bishop Murphy-O'Connor.
With the Pope came about 2530 members of his entourage photographers, the Secretary of State Casaroli (an unassuming little man) his two secretaries, a valet, and a few members of the press. The house in Wimbledon was taken over we had to move furniture to fit everyone in. Though most stayed at the convent nearby, it was still a big crowd.
That first day, immediately upon his arrival at the house, the Pope retired to his room. He looked very tired, worn out by the travelling. The whole house was under the strictest police control: Scotland Yard was in charge of security, and there were two of the Swiss Guards, dressed not in their customary get-up but in blue suits. The police literally stayed up all night in the garden. They were so alert that I remember even Kate Adie couldn't get near the Pope. (The BBC was terribly keen to come close because Marcinckus had accompanied the Pope and that whole Banco Ambrosiatto story was just breaking then.) That first night he wanted to retire early. There was a crowd standing outside the house, waiting for him, and every now and then we could hear them calling out. The Pope approached the window on the first floor it was the Pro-Nuncio's office and greeted the crowd. After the clapping and shouting had died down, he asked the crowd: "What do the people of Wimbledon say to the Pope?" A few people called out "hullo", or "we love you" but no one really knew what was expected of them. Again he asked the crowd: "What do the people of Wimbledon say to the Pope?" When no one answered, he said: "They say good night." The cheers that went up were deafening.
I don't remember his eating very much at the dinner we held for him on the second day, but do remember that he liked a hearty breakfast. We had a Czech cook who had found out what he liked. She made him special pancakes he loved that.
If I were to say what he was like one-onone I have to say that he didn't give me the impression of great warmth. Paul VI would concentrate on the person in front of him, fix him with his gaze. John Paul II instead does not look at his interlocutor. He seems distant. On the other hand, place him before a crowd and he's mesmerising to watch. He seems happier addressing a great many people than with individual contact.