Late Years of Pope Pius XII - Pope Pius XII and Appointments - Roman Curia

Roman Curia

In the last years of his pontificate, while open to all the faithful and visitors to Rome, Pius was viewed as limiting contacts with Vatican clergy and representatives of the Roman Curia. Pope Pius procrastinated personnel decisions, but also found it increasingly difficult to chastise subordinates and appointees. Domenico Tardini provides an insight: Pope Pius received a monsignor whose work performance left much to be desired. Upon leaving the Papal rooms, Tardini asked the monsignor how it went. The Holy Father is so happy with my work, Tardini interrupted him, but the Holy Father told me, …yes was the answer, he told me that too, but he is happy with me overall. He attempted to avoid unnecessary contacts with the clergy, because of their constant demands for recognition and positions.

• Today I will receive a group of priests. Who knows, how many requests they will have”. I told him, Your Holiness, just say no. “Okay”, said the Pope,” I say no, but then they press and press and press.” A sign of resignation followed.

During the last years of the pontificate, vacant Vatican positions were not always filled, .”The Roman Curia experienced certain stagnation” In his last years, it was difficult for Pius to make decisions regarding the promotion of Curia priests. Domenico Tardini gave a significant insight: A huge concern were appointments for Pius XII.

• The higher the honour was to be, the more difficult and more desired were the positions. It is well known, that for such occasions there is no shortage of candidates, even applicants, including those who claim to have capacities, which they are not always in possession of. They measure their value by the extend of their aspirations, calling on “rights”, which simply do not exist. It may even happen, that such non-virtuous aspirations find cover and support in lavish red silk coats of some Cardinals. Pius suffered under all this, being subjected to contrary proposals and recommendations. His inclination to fulfil wished and agree spontaneously and his conscientiousness contradicted within him. Thus, the Pope did not like to make personnel changes and preferred to procrastinate.

The seeming inability to talk to appointees about their performance, extended also to his one-time physician, Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi. He was finally dismissed by the Pope in 1956, but gained admittance October 1958, as the Pope lay dying and took photographs of Pius which he sold to Paris Match, forcing him to resign as chief physician of the Vatican ("pontifical archiater") in the wake of massive public protests. When Pius died, Galeazzi-Lisi assumed the role of Pius' embalmer using controversial methods.

The pastoral needs of the Church were not affected by his procrastination on Vatican positions. New bishops were appointed whenever necessary. The Pacelli-Pope favoured naming unconventional, often very young priests, such as Julius Döpfner (35 years) and Karol Wojtyla (38 years), one of his last appointees in 1958.