In the next thirty days, you have twenty nine separate speaking engagements.
And you've emphasized how you must finish your first and second one.
Nevertheless. The mission of the church is to implement the precepts of Vatican II.
But I implore, your Holiness. Could we start implementing it somewhere other than Mexico?
Perhaps Poland.
[pause] Anywhere but Mexico and Poland.
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?
Yes, Holiness. But that someone does not have to be you.
But it could be.
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.
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]
Well, I imagine that we could avoid the problem entirely if you went as a private citizen.
[looking around the table] Did you see my cheese?
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