The Power and the GloryDavid Yallop made his reputation by smearing the Pope's. Now he's back with another bucket of tar.
The Power and the Glory
The story goes like this: there was once a man of humble origins, raised in an obscure corner of eastern Europe, who had an overweening ambition to become a person of world importance. Gifted with many useful talents, such as a fine ability to act (both on and off stage) and a keen nose for networking, his sense of his own importance and his desire to succeed at all costs propelled him (eventually) into a position of enormous power which he clung on to tenaciously for many years. by David Yallop Constable and Robinson | London | 448 pages | £20 ISBN: 1845294467 
When he was not actively abusing his authority by secret machinations, he was passively quiescent about the abuses perpetrated by others in the name of the corporation he controlled. Now that he is dead it is the job – nay, the bounden duty – of this author to tear away the pious myths and legends that have accrued around the memory of this false prophet and expose him for what he really was. In case the reader has not already guessed, the subject of this story is the late John Paul II. Yallop, described in the blurb as an “investigative writer”, has made his reputation by exposing explosive facts that would otherwise be hidden – such as the murder of John Paul I in 1978, three months into his pontificate, and its cover-up orchestrated by Cardinal Villot. Despite there not being a shred of evidence for this allegation (even John Cornwell, himself no slouch at dubious investigative journalism, exposed it as false in his own book) it is declaimed on page 1 of this volume and sets the melodramatic tone for the rest of the book. Subtitled “Inside the dark heart of John Paul II’s Vatican”, Yallop cannot quite decide who is the greater villain: the late Pope himself or his corrupt court -- the “Vatican Village”. This latter is depicted as a quasi-Mafia headquarters while at the same time being “awash” with freemasons, members of the “sect” of Opus Dei, fascists and homosexuals. Reading these 500 pages is heavy-going; I could not discover one redeeming feature of this papacy, nothing to suggest that John Paul II was a great ambassador for Christ or that the Church might just occasionally do some good in the world. Even Graham Greene’s novel of the same title allows the whisky priest his moment of heroism. Here everyone who does not fit in with the author’s own brand of liberal intolerance is discredited. The two longest chapters, predictably, concern the Vatican’s dealings with the Banco Ambrosiano and revelations of paedophilia in the priesthood. Both indisputably grave scandals, they require a more thoroughgoing, less prejudiced treatment than they receive here. Major players who pop up everywhere are Roberto Calvi, found hanged under Blackfriars Bridge in 1982 and Archbishop Marcinkus, who ran the Vatican Bank. If these two characters had not existed, the author would have had to invent them. When he is not preoccupied with sex and violence he loses his focus but never his venom. He manages to taint everything he touches. Thus World Youth Days are compared to Nazi Nuremberg rallies; the Pope’s love for the Blessed Virgin is “infatuation” or worse, “idolatry”; Providence is a “good contact, a patron or a protector”. The usual dreary syllabus of Catholic errors and malefactions is trotted out, such as the ban on birth control, women priests and the right to abortion; the elderly celibate men who run the Church; the “neutering” of Hans Kung by the “Vatican Enforcer”. Polly Toynbee, post-Enlightenment high-priestess, is quoted approvingly: “How many people have died of AIDS as a result of Wojtyla’s power?” Vatican sources, always anonymous, tell the author that the Pope won’t retire, despite his infirmity, because he is “terminally drugged on the adulation of the audience”. Even the captions to the book’s photographs carry a gratuitously unpleasant slant, such as “The Holy Alliance that never was” underneath a picture of John Paul II with President Reagan. In case you did not know, the part these two played in the collapse of Communism is “a myth”. In case you thought the Pope acted as a peacemaker in the world - condemning the Iraq war, for instance -- that also is a myth. Despite numerous accusations, quotations and allegations, Yallop’s documentation is scanty; there are only 13 notes throughout the whole book. Apparently he has consulted many papal encyclicals and other documents, yet for all his understanding they might just as well have been hieroglyphics. What he lacks in interpretative skill is compensated by fevered phrases: the Pope was “given to bitterness”, he was “quivering with anger”, Ratzinger was “reduced to tears”, the Church had a “lust for temporal power”. The book is also rambling and repetitive; in his zeal to blacken every aspect of the Holy Father’s life, Yallop cannot resist gloatingly repeating his punch-lines. The editing is sloppy: Bishop Deskur had a “major stoke”, the Legionaries of Christ become “Legionnaires” and there is reference to a “Head of Viligance”. If this were Shakespeare’s Dogberry one would laugh. But this is not comedy. Although described on the dust-jacket as “History/Biography” it is neither; it is simply sensational journalism at its very worst. There are undoubted criticisms to make of the late papacy; there is also the possibility of an intelligent outsider producing a balanced appraisal – as Anthony Howard does, for instance, in his biography of Basil Hume. But this is not the book and Yallop is not the man. A denizen of Grub Street, he has grubbed around in the shadows, giving his own lurid and sordid spin to men and events. How did I feel when I had finished reading it? Distinctly grubby. Francis Phillips writes from Bucks in the UK. |
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Comments (23)
John Thomas said...John Thomas
United Kingdom | Tuesday, 15 May 2007 at 12:31 am
Ludi Fontanilla said...Surely it proves that a LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING.
This is just like the "Da Vinci Code Episode". It has become a source of earning money at the expense of the Catholic faith.
Lastly you should have prepared the book while he is still alive and now that he is dead he cannot answer you back.
Canada | Tuesday, 15 May 2007 at 12:41 am
Kevin Fraser said...CCC 2507: Respect for the reputation and honor of persons forbids all detraction and calumny in word or attitude.
Catholics must abjectly accept and follow this definitive Church teaching. I take it Yallop is not Catholic?
-- | Tuesday, 15 May 2007 at 1:57 am
Zubin said...United Kingdom | Tuesday, 15 May 2007 at 8:04 am
Darren Mason said...I would encourage those who are serious about the truth of the matter to obtain a copy of a book called, "Nights of Sorrow Days of Joy," (78 dramatic days in modern Church history). This book was first published by The National Catholic News Service soon after Pope John Paul II was elected to the papacy in 1978. It is the deeply moving story of the 78 days that lead to the beginning of John Paul II`s most amazing papacy. Anyone who reads this account with open mind and sincerity of heart could not help but realize the painstaking effort on behalf of the church to make sure that everything is done honestly and above board. After understaning what is involved in electing a pope, one will realize that any thought of conspiracy is utterly absurd. One will also notice the deeply human warmth and sincerity involved in the process of papal election as the whole world prepares to great the newly installed vicar of Christ.
And if anyone is wondering where they may obtain a copy of "Nights of Sorrow Days of Joy", I checked online with amazon books and to my suprise and delight saw a couple of second hand copies available in good condition and at very reasonable price. Do yourself a favour and get hold of a copy now!
Australia | Tuesday, 15 May 2007 at 8:14 pm
Jorge said...-- | Wednesday, 16 May 2007 at 4:53 am
Richard Fowler said...A number of years ago I had a lively discussion in a bar about whether or not the Pope was corrupt. I was defending the late Karol. Upon asking my adversary to give evidence as to why the Pope was indeed corrupt he offered to my great pleasure the usual diatribe of sensationalist commentary. The most entertaining reasons he gave however were perhaps his most profound. "The Pope is corrupt because...he wears a big hat and has a jet." What a revelation. And I all these years was too blind to see that the Papacy was just a cover for a flying entourage of men competing for fashions in the field of the faithful. What did the Church ever do for us? Just like the Romans in the life of Brian it never contributed a single thing for the zealot cynic. Except maybe the aqueduct, sanitation, education etc etc.
This book is the perfect Christmas gift for those out there who believe that Monty Python was a documentary maker. If you enjoy it and get a kick out of thinking you feel like you have unlocked some conspiracy theory, good for you. Your lack of intelligence is the substance that South Park episodes are made of.
Australia | Wednesday, 16 May 2007 at 9:46 pm
Luciano Miceli said...God bless everyone in Jesus through Mary with Joseph!
United States | Sunday, 20 May 2007 at 3:10 pm
Emmanuel Ugwuoke said...Italy | Sunday, 20 May 2007 at 4:02 pm
Charles Sendegeya said...Uganda | Sunday, 20 May 2007 at 5:12 pm
Mrs Jackie Parkes MJ said...How sad though that someone would desire to criticise the late Pope John Paul ll hero of millions.
We need to consistently debate & explain the lack of evidence used to discredit the Catholic Church.
The Continuity Movement works for the return of the British Isles to the Catholic Faith..but we really need a world-wide movement as well.
Francis Phillips takes up where the Martyrs left off.
United Kingdom | Sunday, 20 May 2007 at 6:16 pm
jude Byamukama said...Uganda | Monday, 21 May 2007 at 6:52 pm
Pinky said...As for the Great PPII, I think the author has to think a million time before attacking a saintly spirit. He will be attacking Heaven. He has to have fear of the Lord. Better to attack a human being than to attack a dead person in Heaven.
Philippines | Monday, 21 May 2007 at 10:24 pm
Pinky Rodriguez said...In this another sort of 'da vinci code' deception, we can hope that God can make a positive outcome out of this 'dark work'. Friends of God has more than enough means to counter the attacks of the enemies. God never loses battle...
Philippines | Tuesday, 22 May 2007 at 12:07 am
Gordon Tryon said...Canada | Monday, 28 May 2007 at 5:21 am
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