First up, some background from the National Catholic Reporter:
The Man Who Saved Two Popes
Archbishop Paul Casimir Marcinkus may have saved the lives of two popes. So why isn't he famous? It's because he's infamous. That's why.
Archbishop Paul Casimir Marcinkus led an...interesting life. The fact that he likely saved the lives to two popes and is not heralded as a one of the greatest Vatican heroes worthy of statues, movie trilogies, and fan fiction should tell you that his legacy remains a bit complicated. When the shady stuff you're up to absolutely negates saving the pope’s life not once but twice, you're probably neck-deep in some serious shenanigans. This guy’s life has more conspiracies than a documentary by this guy:
So, I was reading Taylor Marshall's book Infiltration and he mentioned Archbishop Marcinkus’... history. I was intrigued to say the least. It sounded like a Jack Ryan novel but mixed with the Godfather movies.
Paul Casimir Marcinkus was born in America on Jan. 15, 1922, to Lithuanian immigrants. He was taught by the Sisters of St. Casimir at St. Anthony School in Cicero. Later he studied at Quigley Preparatory Seminary. The young man grew tall and strong. He was 6’4” with a thick build. He was ordained in 1947 and served at a parish in Chicago before heading out to Rome just three years later in 1950 to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
Fluent in several languages, he was assigned to the Vatican Secretariat of State where he befriended Giovanni Battista Montini, who would later become Pope Paul VI. Marcinkus was often at the pope's side as a trusted advisor and gatekeeper. And he was good at his job. In fact, one time he reportedly refused to allow American Secret Service agents to be present when Paul VI met with President Richard Nixon, bluntly 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.” I bet he counted real fast too. It's easy to understand why he was nicknamed “The Gorilla.”
And when I say he was always by the pope’s side, I mean always.
*****
....Like I said, ALWAYS.
Anyway, on Nov. 27, 1970, Pope Paul VI arrived in Manila, Philippines to a thrilled crowd. Well, pretty much everyone was thrilled to see him except the guy who was there to murder him. Pope Paul VI waded into the crowd when a Bolivian artist dressed as a priest yelled out “Death to superstition” and lunged towards the pontiff with a knife. Reportedly, he got close enough to actually wound the pope in his chest but fortunately, then Archbishop Marcinkus, along with others, launched himself at the would be assassin, tackling him to the ground and saving the pontiff’s life.....
....Have you heard of a little scandal involving the Vatican Bank? Yeah, that one. In fact, he was linked to two international banking scandals with mafia ties, grisly murders, mysterious suicides and masonic conspiracies. Hey, this guy didn’t do anything halfway.....
....MUCH MORE
And from the New York Post, the archbishop may have had a few of his "I saved two Popes" credits deducted (if this story is true):
Meet the mobster who claims he helped whack Pope John Paul I over stock fraud
He helped kill the pope — so his pals could stay out of hell.
That’s the shocking claim from longtime Colombo gangster Anthony Raimondi, who says that, in 1978, he went to Italy with a team of hit men who whacked John Paul I. They allegedly poisoned him with cyanide just 33 days into the pontiff’s reign, according to Raimondi’s new book, “When the Bullet Hits the Bone,” out now from Page Publishing.
Raimondi, the nephew of legendary godfather Lucky Luciano, claims he was recruited for the murder at the age of 28 by his cardinal cousin, Paul Marcinkus, who ran the Vatican bank. Raimondi’s job was to learn the pope’s habits and be on hand to observe as Marcinkus knocked out John Paul by spiking his nightly cup of tea with Valium....
....MUCH MORE
One strike against the Post story is a factual error, Marcinkus never got the promotion to Cardinal, and retired as an archbishop. For more on Marcinkus in the banker's scandal see, if interested, Wikispooks
