Agostino Casaroli

Agostino Casaroli (1914 - 1998) was an Italian diplomat and cardinal.

• (About cardinal Pierre Teilhard de Chardin) The astonishing resonance of his research, as well as the brilliance of his personality and richness of his thinking, have profoundly marked our epoch.
  • From a letter of Card. Casaroli to the Rector of the Catholic Institute of Paris. As quoted in Card. Casaroli Praises Teilhard de Chardin on Behalf of John Paul II

• The revision of the Concordat in 1984 was a necessity.... I think on certain points I would have done differently today. In a democratic society the legitimate interests of the various components, including the Catholic Church, can be regulated through the law.
  • La revisione del Concordato nel 1984 fu una necessità... Penso che su certi punti oggi avrei fatto una cosa diversa. In una società democratica gli interessi legittimi delle varie componenti, compresa quella cattolica, possono essere regolati attraverso la legge.
    • From an interview published by L'Unità (January 27, 1994). As quoted in Mario A. Manacorda, Scuola pubblica o privata?, Editori Riuniti, Roma, 1999, p. 94.

• [Pope Pius XII was of] superior intelligence; the richness and acuity of his ideas; the precision in their expression - which he took care of down to the tiniest detail, even in many foreign languages, principally in the German language in which he was a master; his holiness of life; his profound and almost painful concern for the fate of the Church and the world community; his untiring capacity for work.
  • [Pio XII era di] intelligenza superiore; la ricchezza e acutezza di idee; la precisione nella loro espressione – che egli curava nei minimi particolari, anche in molte lingue straniere principalmente in quella tedesca nella quale era maestro; la santità di vita; la preoccupazione profonda e quasi dolorosa per le sorti della Chiesa e della comunità mondiale. l'infaticabile capacità di lavoro.
    • Agostino Casaroli, Il martirio della pazienza. La Santa Sede e i paesi comunisti (1963-1989), Einaudi, Torino 2000.

• [In Pope John XXIII] the novelty did not concern doctrine, but rather the way of expounding it and perhaps sometimes interpreting it, without ever betraying or modifying it. And of applying it to concrete situations. It then concerned, so to speak, the style, in speaking and acting, both inside and outside the Church: a greater readiness to understand the ‘other’; a charge of ‘sympathy’ in endeavouring to evaluate the mentality or attitudes of even those furthest away; an ability to be aware of their objective difficulties and the art of knowing how to create a climate of trust, despite the distance, or even the head-on opposition of reciprocal positions; the care not to offend people while telling the truth.
  • [In Giovanni XXIII] la novità non riguardava la dottrina, ma piuttosto il modo di esporla e forse, talvolta, d'interpretarla, senza tradirla o modificarla mai. E di applicarla alle situazioni concrete. Riguardava poi, per così dire, lo stile, nel parlare e nell'agire, sia all'interno sia all'esterno della Chiesa: una maggiore prontezza alla comprensione dell'«altro»; una carica di «simpatia» nello sforzarsi di valutare la mentalità o gli atteggiamenti anche dei più lontani; una capacità di rendersi conto delle loro difficoltà obiettive e l'arte di saper creare un clima di fiducia, nonostante la distanza, o addirittura l'opposizione frontale delle posizioni reciproche; la cura di non offendere le persone pur dicendo la verità.
    • Agostino Casaroli, Il martirio della pazienza. La Santa Sede e i paesi comunisti (1963-1989), Einaudi, Torino 2000.

• I was on the terrace of the Secretariat of State, with colleagues and Archbishop . His first line was: "Never would I have thought that the conclave would choose a cardinal from a diocese beyond the Iron Curtain!" We all asked him many questions, and Casaroli explained that he was a "man of vision". He concluded: he will bring novelty, but he will be a good Pope.
  • From an interview of Aldo Cazzullo to cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, «La mia vita con Giovanni Paolo II. Ecco perché, malato, non si dimise», Il Corriere della Sera (May 17, 2020)

Pope John Paul II: My dear Casaroli. According to the rules, I need a Secretary of State.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: Yes you do. And I would be happy to assist in the matter as I had the honour of serving Pope Paul VI.

Pope John Paul II: And that is why I want you to be my Secretary of State.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: Oh. Holiness, no, no, no. Those were other times. I would be inadequate. You don't need me.

Pope John Paul II: But I do.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: But why?

Pope John Paul II: You are tactful in ten languages, a master diplomat, deeply loyal. And as I have noticed on occasion, you have strongly held opinions that would not necessarily agree with mine. With God's blessing between the two of us, the scales will balance.

[pause. Casaroli smiles]

Pope John Paul II: Done. [they shake hands]

• • Pope John Paul II (miniseries)

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz: In the next thirty days, you have twenty nine separate speaking engagements.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: And you've emphasized how you must finish your first and second one.

Pope John Paul II: Nevertheless. The mission of the church is to implement the precepts of Vatican II.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: But I implore, your Holiness. Could we start implementing it somewhere other than Mexico?

Pope John Paul II: Perhaps Poland.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: [pause] Anywhere but Mexico and Poland.

Pope John Paul II: Mexico is constitutionally anticlerical. For one hundred years priests and nuns have not been allowed to wear their robes and habits in public. Can you imagine? In Mexico, the church does not exist... [accidentally knocks off a piece of cheese from his plate. He goes down to pick it up while his aide tries to get it for him] In Puebla, in January. The Latin American bishop's conference is taking place. We should send someone, don't you think?

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: Yes, Holiness. But that someone does not have to be you.

Pope John Paul II: But it could be.

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: Well, may I remind, your Holiness, [the pope puts the piece cheese back onto his plate] that the Holy See does not have relations with Mexico and may I make one other point: We have not been invited.

Pope John Paul II: My dear Casaroli. You're a man of great wisdom and imagination.

[the pope's aide, who is standing behind, nervous that the pope will knock the piece of cheese off his plate again, quickly grabs the cheese from his plate]

Agostino Cardinal Casaroli: Well, I imagine that we could avoid the problem entirely if you went as a private citizen.

Pope John Paul II: [looking around the table] Did you see my cheese?

• • Pope John Paul II (miniseries)