The Vatican Exposed: Money, Murder, and the Mafia Read Online Free PDF Page A

resign.
    In 1925, which Pius XI proclaimed a Holy Year, Mussolini began
to espouse his formula for the Fascist state: "Everything within the
state; nothing against the state; nothing outside the state." He saw
the Fascist state as a force that should control all aspects of lifemoral, political, and economic-within Italy. Indeed, he defined Fascism as "organized, concentrated, authoritarian democracy on a
national basis."31
    But for the realization of this Fascist utopia, II Duce had to show
that he also controlled the support of the people. He saw himself as
a national rather than a party leader. In his meetings with foreign officials, Mussolini maintained that he governed by "consent" rather
than "force." In order to establish proof of his public mandate, he
called for a "national plebiscite" so the Italian people, once and for
all, could choose between the old parliamentary form of government
and the new Fascist state.
    For any semblance of a great victory at the polls, Mussolini
needed the support of the Vatican. The vast majority of the populace
was fiercely devoted to the Church and obeyed the pope's pronouncements (as evidenced by their refusal to practice birth control).
Any questions from the Church about II Duce's purported atheism,
his moral integrity, and his early anticlericalism would result in a dem ocratic victory and an enormous setback for the man who envisioned
himself as a new Caesar.

    To win the favor of the Holy See, the dictator had his marriage to
Donna Rachele sanctified by a Catholic priest. He began to attend mass
on feast days and holy days of obligation. He insisted that his children
receive the sacrament of baptism and swore as a God-fearing parent "to
renounce Satan and all his works." As further proof of his faith, Mussolini proposed a tax on childless couples, proscribed severe punishment for adultery, and made infliction with syphilis a crime. He also
ranted and railed against short skirts and revealing bathing suits and
called for all good Italians to abandon the "negro dances" imported
from the United States.32 His about-face was so complete that he
proudly announced to the people on several occasions the famous
dictum of Pope Gregory VII: "Whoever touches the pope must die."33
    At last, Mussolini contacted Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, the Vatican's secretary of state, and expressed his desire to give a generous
gift to Holy Mother Church in reparation for the loss of the Papal
States. Pius XI disliked and mistrusted Mussolini. He saw through
the dictator's mask of piety and his charade as a devout son of the
Church. In private he often referred to the dictator as "the devil's
son."34 But now he gave in to the third and most terrible temptation.
He had to bow before the will of Il Duce and sanctify the Fascist state
for the sake of the world and all its riches. Christ could reject such an
offer but not his vicar. Such rejection would spell ruin. The pope had
just received the findings of an audit from the Cardinalitial Commission that had worked with the Apostolic Camera to assess the immediate financial situation of the Church.
    The results of the audit couldn't have been more devastating.
The daily expenses of running the Vatican were in excess of $7,000.
Contributions to the Church had declined by 20 percent from the
previous year. Legacies were diminishing. Creditors, including the
Reichbank in Germany, were demanding immediate payments on the
delinquent loans.35 To make matters worse, the pope's financial advisors-including George William Cardinal Mundelein, archbishop of
Chicago-were predicting a prolonged international depression. The
financial end to the papacy, postponed for nearly fifty years, was imminent. Pius XI summoned Cardinal Gasparri and Archbishop
Eugenio Pacelli (the future Pius XII) to his chambers in order to
finalize the "concordat" with Mussolini.

    Cardinal Gasparri was frail and feeble at seventy-eight. His hands
shook from