Page 7, 6th July 1979

6th July 1979

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Page 7, 6th July 1979 — The Vatican's new prime minister
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The Vatican's new prime minister

Joan Lewis reports from Rome on the new Secretary of State at the Vatican, Cardinal Agostino Casaroli (right).
Last Saturday Pope John Paul, in a secret consistory. elevated 15 prelates to the rank of Cardinal or Prince of the Roman Catholic Church, Among those was Msgr. Agostino Casaroli whom the Pope named Secretary of State and Prefect of the Council of Public Affairs of the Church. So he has the second, most powerful job in the Vatican. The Vatican equivalent of prime minister,
Pope John Paul the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years, clearly indicated, early. in his reign, his intention of naming an Italian to the influential post to create an equilibrium in the Church's hierarchy between Italians and non-Italians. The death of Cardinal Villot, the former Secretary of State, on March 9 of this year prompted the Pope to act earlier than he anticipated and while more than six weeks passed before Cardinal Casaroli was nominated to fill the vacancy, few doubted he would he chosen.
Cardinal Casaroli, 64, a subtle but extremely efficient diplomat, was considered the natural heir to Villot by virtue of his nearly 40 years of service in the Vatican diplomatic corps as well as his reputation as principal architect of the Vatican's Ostopolitik. the Hvly See's effort at starting talks and normalizing relations with countries whose political and social systems are based on Marxism.
Vatican observers foresee few, if any, changes within the Secretariat of State with Cardinal Casaroli's appointment. Pope John Paul II has demonstrated a desire to maintain a continuity between his pontificate and that of his predecessors. He wishes his to be a pastoral pontificate, marked by a spirit of collegiality with his fellow bishops and tempered with political skill. In naming Agostino Casaroli as Secretary of State, the Pope has created a
strong — and many say logical — link in that chain of continuity.
Pope John Paul like Paul VI. wishes to de-emphasise what some call the "western" nature of the Church and stress instead its U niversality. Cardinal Casaroli, long before Paul VI began his pontificate, was quietly working towards this goal, opening doors closed for decades or building bridges where they did not exist. His was the delicate task of creating dialogues — a popular word in the pontificates of John Paul II — with the socialist countries of Eastern Europe. efforts which produced agreements with Hungary and Yugoslavia, a normalisation of relations with Poland and, after fifty years of impasse, a renewed dialogue with Russia.
As recently as a year ago, while still secretary for the Council of Public Affairs. Cardinal Casaroli, referring to the importance of further talks with communist countries, said of China: ''The Holy See would welcome with satisfaction the possibility. of establishing contact with the People's Republic of China." His was — and will be — a ministry of dialogue in line with the wishes of the Pope. Pope John Paul and Cardinal Casaroli both emphasize, as did their respective predecessors. the need for dialogue, methodical study and pragmatic solutions in promoting the Church's universal efforts to serve peace, foster Church development and the rights of man. Cardinal Casaroli particularly defends dialogue with the East by say ing there is "no alternative" to detente "except war".
The Cardinal. an Italian, was also a logical choice as Secretary of State for a non-Italian Pope whose closest collaborator would need to know the intimate workings of the Roman Curia as well as the sensitive problems surrounding the Concordat, part of the Lateran Pact Treaty signed in 1929 which regulates relations between Italy and the Vatican.
While no substantial changes are expected in the Secretariat of State, Vatican observers feel that Cardinal Casaroli's long career in diplomacy as well as his personality will leave indelible imprints. Unlike Cardinal Villot, he enters the Secretariat with a background in law and a far more vast experience in the Vatican's diplomatic corps. A courteous, reserved, almost timid man, he possesses an
infinite patience and lose of order and detail. These qualities have frequently been mistaken for a lack of decision but few intimates will fault his ability to thoroughly. work out a policy. They speak or the loyal. assiduous, unswerving manner in which this intellectual, student of history and polyglot has guided diplomatic affairs in the past and believe that the Vatican's foreign policy will be conducted quietly, impeccably and with expertise. The most noticeable changes surrounding Cardinal Casaroli's appointment are external. The post of' camerlengo, the chamberlain who supervises ordinary administrative affairs when the pope is absent from the Holy See or during ale sede vaeante interval between the death and election of a pope, was held by Cardinal Villot as Secretary of State. Cardinal Casaroli. however, was relieved of this duty when Pope John Paul, clearly, separating the two posts, installed Cardinal Paolo Bertoli as Chamberlain on May 29.
A further division of duties was created when Cardinal Giuseppe Capri°, former Under Secretary of State, was named as Acting President for the Patrimony of the Holy See, a position also occupied by Cardinal Villot.
A third title held by Cardinal Villot was President of the Commission for the State of Vatican City, a post to be held nominally by Casaroli but administered by others.
Vatican officials say these last three changes, external in nature, were designed to allow the new Secretary of State more time for the essential, urgent matters requiring his attention. Administrative aspects of a less crucial nature will be channelled off to prelates of equal expertise which observers say will create a needed equilibrium at the top of the Church's hierarchy.




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