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All the Pope's Men: The Inside Story of How the Vatican Really Thinks

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Maybe John Allen doesn't quite have the dramatic flair that Woodward has for the midnight, behind closed door scenes (like Nixon asking Kissinger to pray with him), but Allen's information is just as interesting and reliable, and the writing is pretty good too. And unlike most of the people you have writing about the Vatican Allen really does seem to walk a straight line in terms of the politics. A reviewer has commented that the even-handedness has bothered him/her, but nothing bothers me more than partisan reporting through rose coloured glass or the pessimism of a disaffected church goer.

All the Pope's Men isn't much of a whodunnit but it is a very interesting examination of the psychology and the workings of the Vatican. It is a bureaucracy, of sorts, but I found it's workings fascinating nonetheless.

John Allen has always impressed me with his newspaper writing and whenever I've heard him on National Public Radio. I was happy to have come across this book here and found it a very fresh perspective on the world inside the Vatican. As those of you who read these types of books will know, there are many, many books on the topic out there and I gather that half of those that are written are merely quoting from the other half. Put this one in the TO BE QUOTED FROM PILE. It's original material, I particularly like his Myths about the Vatican section. Thank you John Allen.

Vatican correspondent for "National Catholic Reporter" and a noted media analyst on Vatican affairs, John L. Allen has crafted an insightful analysis of one of the oldest and most fascinating world institutions. The author of CONCLAVE, an exploration of the events surrounding modern papal elections, incorporates his knowledge and experience into a detailed exploration of the complex bureaucracy of the Catholic Church known simply as "the Vatican."

For Catholics and others in the United States, the decisions of the Pope and the Curia appear to be out of touch with contemporary society - particularly American culture. Of course, that is precisely the point! The Vatican is characterized by a centuries-old, traditional European, yet increasingly global world view where issues are considered and decisions are made within the uniquely long-term Catholic concepts of scripture, tradition and faithfulness to the Magisterium (the official teaching authority of the Church). Developed in response to such burning issues as the recent sex scandals and the Vatican's opposition to the war in Iraq, Mr. Allen explores the culture and context of the Vatican from psychological, sociological and theological perspectives. Recognizing the spiritual underpinnings of the institution, Mr. Allen examines the individuals and myriad offices which collectively form the Vatican. He does so from a distinctly human standpoint, weaving a rich tapestry of collegial, dynastic, ecclesiastical, cultural and contextual characteristics. He analyzes personal motivation and formal and informal spheres of influence, carefully connecting the dots of human frailty with the overriding mission of Church stewardship. Through faithful adherence to journalistic principles, critical respect and objectivity, Mr. Allen provided an illuminating overview of the Vatican response to today's tumultuous issues.

If there can be any criticism of the book - and it is only a minor criticism - it is with respect to the lengthy and detailed chronology of the Vatican's response to the sex-scandal and Iraq War. Yet even in this, the accompanying analysis leaves the reader with a greater comprehension of the motives and thought process of the Vatican in dealing globally with events seen as more localized flashpoints. The myths of the Vatican section is particularly fascinating in debunking popular, yet unsubstantiated legends.

There are some who would dismiss Mr. Allen due to the perceived liberal leanings of the "National Catholic Reporter." However, unlike other recent books from those with particular axes to grind, the author offers concise reporting, balanced analysis, and well-reasoned conclusions. The book is clearly worth the reader's time and attention, rewarding those who seek understanding of things as they are, not merely reaffirmations of preconceived opinions. For those who wish to hear more from Mr. Allen, his weekly Internet column, "The Word from Rome," offers additional insight in an engaging format.

This interesting book serves two useful purposes, both of which may come in handy for the newly-elected Pope Benedict XVI and his flock in the United States.

The first is as a handy gazetteer to the Curia, the Roman Catholic Church's organizational structure in Rome. Though it's an easy journalistic shorthand, saying "the Vatican decided..." is ultimately no more accurate than saying "the Administration announced today." The Curia is made up of individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and (to a degree) motivations. Allen probably knows the ins and outs of the Holy See better than any working American journalist, and is an excellent, and sympathetic, guide.

But it's the book's second purpose that makes this especially valuable. Allen argues that on issues like the sex-abuse scandal and the Holy See's opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Vatican and American Catholics were by-and-large speaking past, not to, one another. This is because the two sides have some fundamental misunderstandings about the other, and are driven as much, or more, by their own mistaken assumptions than by a true understanding of with whom they are dealing. In this volume, Allen tries to explain why the Vatican thinks the way it does (or more correctly, why the people in the Vatican think they way they do), and what influences and assumptions are brought to bear when addressing issues relevant to the future of the Church.

Allen's goal is not to convert the reader to a particular conclusion, or to convince anyone that one position or the other is "right" on any particular dispute. Though Allen is often classified as on the moderate-to-liberal side of Church politics and issues, I found little to suggest he was pushing any agenda of his own here. His focus is on placing the Vatican and its people in social, political, theological, and even geographical contexts. It made for fascinating and enlightening reading, personally, and I believe any reader who approaches this book with a desire to learn and understand may come away with the same reaction.

It is hard to contain my enthusiasm for this book. It represents *exactly* what is most needed in the tragic situation of the Catholic Church's communication with our media saturated world. For a heart-rending situation of profound misunderstanding and miscommunication characterises the `dialogue' between a Church rooted in centuries of tradition and rigorous, painstaking thought, yes thought - and a world of media myths and soundbites that cannot hope to do justice to anything needing a significant span of attention ...

Allen sees this better than nearly anyone. As an American reporter from the liberal National Catholic Reporter, whose full time beat is the Vatican and who knows the Vatican far, far better than nearly any English speaking lay person, he has done something truly wonderful and desperately needed here.

Not only is there great journalism in this book - there is also a noble, inspired attempt to create fairness and justice, listening and understanding, appreciation of different perspectives and mindsets, amidst the psychic warfare that characterises not only the tragic divisions within the Church, but also between the religion of the Church and the ideology of secular media - ism that washes over our world .

That is to say, there is something profoundly sane and uplifting as Allen cuts through layer upon layer upon layer of prejudice, misperception and mythology to simply render how people in the Vatican really think and how their thinking is necessarily shaped by very different concerns from modern secularism.

I have seen traditional Catholics suspicious of Allen's liberal background and I wish they wouldn't be. Yes, I share certain concerns with them about Allen's previous book on the former Cardinal Ratzinger, but this book is different. A maturing into greater appreciation of the traditional perspective is very evident and beautiful. I count myself as pretty traditional and feel Allen has done both liberals and conservatives a tremendous service ... by reporting their views fairly and without bias ... so that they can simply be heard. Simply be *heard* - for God's sake. This is what is needed. Allen knows it, and is evidently a man who has tried very hard to simply listen himself.

As I say, my enthusiasm is almost boundless. There are many passages in this book whose inspiration seems to me near angelic. To suggest these, I offer some scant sentences drawn from longer, more powerful passages - which represent both sides of the spectrum and may open both traditionals and progressives to listen to Allen ...

`Vatican personnel by and large do not see themselves as imperialists imposing their will on the rest of the Catholic Church. In many instances ... they see themselves defending the people against elites running roughshod over their rights, [protecting] the simple faithful against avant-garde theologians who would betray the faith, against experimental liturgists who risk transforming the Mass into something profane or banal, or against ecclesiastical bureaucrats' Writing as an American himself, Allen can say `Americans often want to do things their own way, and if Rome puts on the brakes, it's a form of oppression. From Rome's point of view, however sometimes its precisely the reverse - they're saving the rest of the Church from being involuntarily `Americanised' ... `exchanges between Rome and America would be more constructive if both sides were to drop the pretense that they know the real motives of the other, and consider instead their actual aims and fears.'

The book is also no less timely for the recent passing of our beloved John Paul II. Maybe it's even more timely ...

If you care about the Catholic Church, if you care about its mission in the world, I can think of few better things to do than read this book and then recommend it to as many of your friends as possible. Widely circulated, the kind of material in this book, so lovingly, fairly and articulately expressed, could do both Church and world an enormous power of good. `Blessed are the peacemakers ...'. Blessed be John L. Allen.

I approached this book with some scepticism(after all John Allen does write columns for the National Catholic Reporter) but I was truly surprised by how balanced John allen's analysis of how the vatican operates came out.
This book is well balanced and has some great information for anyone trying to understand the inner workings of the vatican.
Highly recommended and very well written. A little dated though.
Very good read and full of great info.

John Allen has done a spectacular job! This is wonderful introduction into the practice and thought of the Roman Curia and the structure of the Holy See. While it is not exhaustive, with consideration of the fact that no presentation of the complex system that is the Vatican can be, it is probably one of the best windows into that world out there. Allen's presentation is intelligent, thorough and considerate. Always respectful of the institution with its tradition and solemnity, Allen helps to elucidate that which has been so misunderstood for so long.

While providing interesting historical commentary, Allen makes great effort to illustrate the current state of matters. It is important to note that this is slightly outdated at this point in that Allen is writing during the pontificate of John Paul II, two years before the election of Benedict XVI. While direct reference to the "current pope" in his book still provides the reader with supplemental information on the policy and practice of the late John Paul II, it should be noted that it may not be the same today. What is helpful though is his presentation on the theology, psychology and sociology of the Roman Curia, which would appear to still be very applicable.

This is a well-written work that rates careful consideration. I highly recommend it.

In the first two-thirds of the book, the author discusses how Italian culture influences the Vatican worldview. He also explains how the Vatican bureaucracy is organized and how priest-bureaucrats are chosen and compensated. Then, a 40-page portion is in diary style, with Allen carefully quoting Vatican officials about the pedophilia scandal. I found this segment to be very discouraging, as official after official attributes the scandal to American sexual hysteria, Jewish conspiracies, "pushy Americans," the unfairness of the US legal system, phoney litigants - in fact, every possible rationalization. Allen reports that there is incredible anti-Americanism in the Vatican, and the sex abuse issue cements the image of US Catholics as troublemakers for the wider church.

Allen frequently cites the statistic that "only" 1% of priests are abusers, suggesting that priests are no more likely to abuse minors than protestant clergy. However, the real figure for priests is 4% (from the US National Conference of Catholic Bishops), which makes it harder to explain away pedophilia as something that affects all denominations equally, since no other denomination has pedophilia statistics that come anywhere close to 4%.

Allen says his purpose was to help US Catholics understand how things look from the Vatican's perspective in hopes of bridging the divide between the two groups. Yet I was left with the impression that the gap between the US and the Vatican is even wider than anyone would have guessed. At one point Allen quotes a Vatican official who blames the US sex abuse scandal on the Masons and the Jews! If this reflects the thinking at the top of the Church, reconciliation between Rome and the US is hopeless. Although this book is uneven in style and less-than-rivetting in some places, it's still a must-read for those interested in the Catholic child sex abuse scandal.

I found the book to be a very interesting read. As a convert I have picked up little pieces of information here and there on how the Holy See operates along with the basic structure. The first chapter in and of itself is a good reason to read this book. Vatican 101 gives a broad overview of the Vatican especially the various dicasteries. An overview of the purpose and function of each of the dicasteries is discussed a long with various positions such as Secretary of State and other support offices.

The next chapter points out and discusses what he calls the Top Five Myths About the Vatican. Addressed is the fact that most reporters think of the Vatican as some cohesive whole or how they confuse a personal opinion of someone working in the Curia as "Vatican says." He also addresses who's in charge, Vatican secrecy, Vatican Wealth, and the charges of the predominance of ladder climbing. All of this rebuttals to these are in depth and I especially found informative the section on Vatican wealth. He made the comparison that the Vatican operates at half the cost of Notre Dame here in the states and goes on to address the material worth of the churches themselves and the art within. All of the priceless pieces of art are itemized at $1.00 since they really can't be sold.

Other chapters include Vatican psychology, sociology, and theology. The chapter on Vatican psychology covers what he classes as the Top Ten Vatican Values. I think his writing on this is very insightful on the values he picked out and a great aid in understanding how many in the Vatican see their service. There is also much discussion on the gap between how much of the Vatican sees things compared to other countries. The focus though is primarily between the Catholic Church in America and the Holy See, though much of the gap applies equally to most countries. America being on fast-food time think everything must happen at a lightning pace and think the Vatican should do the same. That whatever happens in the Church in America must become the Vatican's priority despite the fact that the problem might not be be the same in the rest of the world. The last two chapters address the sexual abuse scandal and the war in Iraq listing detailed examples of this gap in understanding.

The book was apparently written while Pope John Paul II was still alive so some of what is in it is slightly dated. The book was reworked to mention Pope Benedict at times, but mostly this has no effect on the value of the book. One of the dated items I found funny was the mention of the fact that Pope's don't give interviews. True enough at least before Pope Benedict was elected.

I do wish most reporters covering the Vatican would read this book so they would have a better clue what they are reporting on. As a long-distance armchair Vatican watcher I found much worthwhile in this book as far as straight factual information and a better insight into the goings on in Vatican City. In short if you want to learn more about the Holy See and want a highly readable book to do it I can easily recommend this book.

All the Pope's Men: The Inside Story of How the Vatican Really Thinks
by John L. Allen, Jr.
New York: Doubleday, 2004

Review by Reverend Brian Van Hove, S.J.
Alma, Michigan
Published in The Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly, 28: 2 (Summer 2005) 45-46

We have heard the expression "fair and balanced." John L. Allen, Jr., in this book about the Roman Curia has accomplished just that, despite working for the National Catholic Reporter. He claims to be a mediator between two cultures, that of the Holy See, which he tries to interpret in a professional way, and that of the English-speaking world.

How much Mr. Allen should be believed is, of course, up to you the reader, but genuine notes of sympathy for the Vatican's way of life punctuate this story.

This book is not an exploration of structures, but an exposition of thinking, a more subtle task, if not nearly impossible. If anything, the author seems indifferent about ecclesiastical issues which for others of us in the church are vital and passionate. But his hope is that the Vatican will evolve in the direction of more transparency, to avoid misunderstanding and needless friction. He is no pope-basher. His goal is harmony. The chapter on "Vatican Psychology" is particularly rewarding and helpful.

All the Pope's Men is timely. When in 2004-2005 we saw the pope weakening physically, his assistants naturally were delegated more and more of the burden of the governance of the universal church. Allen writes about them from the experience of many conversations and interviews in Rome where he is stationed, unlike some other "fly in" journalists who come for an occasion.

Throughout church history, and especially since the Reformation, curialists have been reviled for real or imagined practices. Allen is generally positive about the men and women who serve the church in Rome. He hopes he has gotten to get "inside their minds" and has interpreted their minds to promote genuine understanding of a unique culture that is very different from Anglo-Saxon efficiency and the corporate approach. Just because something is different does not make it suspect. Perhaps he wishes to say with Sir Winston Churchill's remark about democracy, that "our system may be bad, but all the others are worse."

The author lists five top myths which must dealt with. These are "The" Vatican, Who's in Charge, Vatican Secrecy, Vatican Wealth, and Climbing the Career Ladder. In short, we learn that the voices in the curia are less than unified, that there is more decentralization than many suspected, that there is a genuine openness that can be contrasted with traditional allegations of secrecy, that Vatican finances are actually quite modest in scope, and that many who work in the curia are quite humble and obscure.

The last half of the book is an application of what we have learned to two American situations: the clergy abuse scandals and the war in Iraq. Here he shows that neither the Vatican nor the Americans are wrong, nor are they both always right. There is genuine goodwill on both sides, and genuine misunderstandings occur on both sides. The Vatican often sees "the big picture" while the United States sees rather its own particular needs. The Vatican is sympathetic toward America, but at the same time rejects the "secularized Protestantism" which America represents. The Vatican mistrusts the unilateralism which the American superpower exercises in the world. Allen ends by saying "the relationship between Rome and Washington seems destined to be complex and sometimes strained." But we take away from this statement a fresh understanding of how this can be, an appreciation for those complexities, and for this much alone the book is to be recommended.