From Desmond O'Grady in Rome
AN Italian socialist parli:amentarian has proposed that Archbishop Paul Marcinkus be called before the parliamentary commiss ion investigating the secret Ma sonic lodge Propaganda 2, also called P-2. Marcinkus was on close terms with at least two P-2 members, the bankers Michele Sindona an d the late Roberto Calvi.
The proposed co nvocation is further evidence of th e pressure on the Vatican because (:)f the alleged Vatican responsibilitie s in the debts of Calvi's Ambrosiano hank. The Vatican has rejected the judicial notifications of investigations for possible criminal charges sent to Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, President of the Vatican Bank and its two senior lay employees Luigi Meninini and Pellegrino de Strobel. It wants the notifications to be sent through diplomatic channels.
Some have taken this as indication that the Vatican is unwilling to collaborate with the Italian magistratures' investigations into the Ambrosiano-Vatican bank links. But it is worth noting that, although the Vatican daily L 'Osservatore Romano has complained about the Italian press coverage of the case, it has not criticised the Italian investigators or the government. both the Italian treasurer Nino Andreatta and the bank of Italy investigators into the Ambrosiano's affairs have been received into the Vatican.
In view of this, and the Vatican's decision to appoint its own investigators, the Vatican request for notification of the juridical enquiry through diplomatic channels can be seen simply as an insistence on the use of correct procedure. It is too early to say that the Vatican is refusing to collaborate with Italian justice in the complex AmbrosianoVatican Bank case.