The Godmother: Madre Pascalina, a Feminine Tour De ForceThe Godmother_ Madre Pascalina, a Feminine

Few women in the 20th century wielded more power and influence than did Josefine Lehnert (1894-1983). No woman, in twenty centuries, ever wielded more power and influence in the Vatican.When Josefine Lehnert entered Holy Cross Convent [Menzinger, Switzerland] she was given the name "Pascalina." In 1917, the beautiful young nun from Bavaria and two other Sisters were sent to Munich to organize and maintain the nunciature. The Holy See's newly appointed Nuncio to Bavaria was 41-year-old Eugenio Pacelli. For the rest his diplomatic career, Schwester Pascalina would remain his personal secretary, housekeeper and ne plus ultra confidante. When Pacelli was recalled to Rome in 1929 and subsequently made a cardinal and appointed Secretary of State, he requested that Sister Pascalina be permitted to continue working with him. She was the first woman ever to reside in the Apostolic Palace. In 1939, on the first ballot and by a unanimous [minus one] vote, Eugenio Pacelli became the world's 260th Pope; the twelfth to take the name "Pius."Romanità -an unofficial yet rigorous ecclesiastical/Italianate protocol that permeates diplomacy to this day- saw fit to "promote" the new pontiff's secretary. Henceforth, "Sister" Pascalina was "Mother" Pascalina. Strong woman that she was, "La Madre" was keenly and constantly aware of the tightrope she was walking -and more so of the snake pit just below it. As the pope's closest confidante, she strove for anonymity; kept any opinion she might have had on any matter, private or public, strictly to herself; avoided photographers and journalists like the plague and -perhaps most challengingly of all- ignored every cruel rumor and innuendo, never dignifying one of them with a response.Undoubtedly, Pope Pius XII was a giant among men; an outstanding intellectual; a savior to countless victims of World War II; a courageous advocate for the voiceless; a born leader who understood a complicated world and its leaders, good and evil; a Pope worthy to be called "Great".It is said that "Behind ever great man is a great woman." The history of Pope Pius XII and Mother Pascalina requires one very important word change to that maxim: "Beside every great man stands a great woman." What could two people from different generations, of different nationalities, backgrounds, and mentalities possibly have in common? The Godmother shows how human relationships can spring through common interests, but also how —through shared experience— they can flourish and mature into a deep, spiritual, and lasting friendship. Now for the first time Charles T. Murr (author of The Society of Judas) vividly recounts his conversations with Josefine Lehnert —The woman known in some circles as La Popessa. At its core, The Godmother is a warm heart-to-heart exchange between an old nun from Bavaria and an American seminarian in his Roman years —working his way towards priesthood. It is a story of friendship, of fraternal charity rooted in their mutual admiration for a remarkable man, Pope Pius XII. Those who read this book will certainly come away enlightened by Mother Pascalina’s unique viewpoint on Vatican politics and innuendos, her knowledge of history, her womanly wisdom, and femenine strength. This is essential reading for anyone interested in modern Church history and for those seeking spiritual growth and development. In Memoriam Grata In Heartfelt Gratitude Foreword Preface Timing is Everything Love at First Sight Savaged Pius and Pio Neither Praise Nor Fear Holy Humor Geburstag Hat Jede Kuh Liking and Loving The Meaning of Red Saint Pius X Pius IX Upon These Rocks - Part 2 Pius IX - Part 3 The German Pastor Roncalli and Montini Montini The Impostor The Man Who Would Be Pope A Kick Upstairs Two Modernist Martyrs De-Italianizing the Roman Curia Pius and the Jews The Pirates of Pinzgau The Cold Facts of Life A Thorn in the Side It's Cold at the Summit Meeting Friendship and Jealousy Spilled Milk Waiting for Papa Benelli A Riot of Rumors A Kick Down Stairs Exile to Mexico Mission Accomplished A Final Sheen (and a final word from the author) Story of Sister Pascalina Lehnert (1894-1983) who was the personal confidant and secretary to Pope Pius XII for 40 years, from the time when he was the Papal Nuncio in Germany, and then for his whole Pontificate