The Cardinal Page #9

You will withdraw your complaint.

You...

you will give me the name of your superior

to whom I will report you.

You were sent here from Rome?

I'm here unofficially.

My presence is

a confidential matter between us.

But it's my strong opinion...

that we must allow Father Gillis

to act as he sees fit.

Just as you say, Monsignor.

I assume that he can count on you

for your support in whatever he does.

- Yes, but...

- Then perhaps we can discuss the details...

of that support on the way into town...

if you can drive me.

I'd like to find a hotel.

Of course. I'd be delighted.

I'll get in touch with you later.

I can't believe you're here.

I didn't think anybody cared.

Have you so little faith?

The hotels are

on the other side of the square.

Who told you that?

I don't need anybody to tell me, Father.

It's in the Bible.

Is it also God's law to burn churches?

We had nothing to do with that, Father.

I'm a good Catholic.

They must be members

of your congregation.

You've got to see the problem, Monsignor.

We're in the minority here, too.

I'm sure you wouldn't have permitted

this demonstration if you'd known of it.

I'll see that it's stopped immediately.

Good people,

can I just talk to you for a minute?

What's going on there?

You want something, mister?

I need a room for a couple of nights.

It just so happens

we don't have any rooms available.

I kind of get the impression

you've been meddling, padre.

Looked to me like it was you

who got that picket line called off.

For a Catholic priest to offer advice

to members of his faith is not meddling.

Maybe you don't know

what's going on in this town.

Some n*gger is trying to make trouble

for some white folks.

- Some n*gger priest.

- Some n*gger Catholic priest.

You can't really get much lower than that.

Perhaps you could recommend

a good tourist home?

If you're a tourist, get touring before

you've got something to be sorry for.

You ain't going to find a bed tonight.

Not in this town.

I don't know, Cecil.

Maybe he could find a bed in niggertown.

Yeah, that's right.

Maybe some licorice-stick b*tch

won't mind squeezing over for you.

What do you think, Cecil?

I think we got ourselves

a little job this evening.

Give me the Sheriff's office.

All right.

What do you call this thing?

I mean, the fancy name?

A crucifix.

Yeah, that's what the n*gger called it

when we took it from him.

Only he was queer for it.

He kept wanting to kiss it

while we was strengthening his character.

We ain't gonna stand for that kind of stuff.

You know what you're going to have to do

with this little old statue, padre?

You're going to spit on it.

And what would that prove...

except you've been able to scare one

priest into defiling the image of Christ?

Maybe that's just plenty.

You'll tell them other n*gger-lovers

up north they ain't welcome here.

Now you spit on it.

I said for you to spit on it!

All right, keep going. Give it to him!

Maybe he needs a little music.

Got your harmonica?

Guaranteed to heal cuts, ringworm,

harness sores and...

foot welts.

Who are you?

Name's Lafe.

You live in Lamar?

All my life.

Are you Catholic?

No.

Then why are you doing this?

I ain't doing much.

Do you think you can walk?

I can try.

I'll take you to Owassa Junction.

You can get a train north there.

I'm going back to Lamar.

There's a trial starting there this morning.

In a quiet way,

you're kind of a hard man, aren't you?

My car's just across the field.

You knew where to find me.

You were one of them last night.

When you start something you don't

always know how you'll feel about it later.

- Last night...

- Don't try to talk. Play.

- Stefano!

- Alfeo.

Monsignor Fermoyle.

We had such a desire to talk to you,

but you couldn't be reached.

I came back to Europe

on a small ship, Your Eminence.

I needed time for meditation.

Your publicity traveled more quickly.

It served to remind us all

of your flair for the theatrical.

If I'd chosen the theatricals,

I'd have staged them differently.

When Quarenghi and I discussed

your trip to America...

I had the distinct impression

it would be an unofficial one.

There were more than 30 witnesses

to that display of violence.

Some talked. The reporters at the trial

had the story soon enough.

What seems important is the result.

A group of racists convicted

on the testimony of a Negro priest.

Convicted not of arson,

but of some minor infraction.

Disorderly conduct. That doesn't matter.

It's the first conviction of a white man

in that part of the country...

on the word of a Negro.

What is the price of victory

in this skirmish?

You plunge the Vatican into controversy,

which many of your leading prelates...

have advised us to avoid.

They're only fooling themselves.

They must face up to it eventually.

Eventually, by all means.

A slow process of education.

In the meantime, kids without

decent education now will die of old age...

before you do anything to help them.

I didn't mean to involve the Church.

Now that it's happened,

I'm not sure it isn't a desirable thing.

Desirable for whom, Monsignor?

For your private causes

or for the Holy Church?

Does your concept of desirability...

include splitting Catholic opinion

in America right down the middle?

Some of us feel, dear brother...

that it is precisely

a clear Vatican policy in these matters...

that might prevent such a split.

We all have our own opinions,

dear brother.

We can only place them

before the Holy Father...

and so discover which of them is correct.

What do you think, Alfeo?

Will the Pope feel I was indiscreet?

Well, your job was supposed to be

consulting on American affairs...

not hurling yourself into the thick of them.

I wouldn't recommend it

as the ideal way to become a bishop.

If there was so much commotion here,

he's probably heard about it already.

If not, you can be sure he will now.

And it won't be long after that

before you know the result.

March 13, 1938.

Hitler enters Vienna...

at 5:
30 p.m.,

welcomed by enthusiastic crowds.

Cardinal Innitzer, Archbishop of Vienna,

reads a letter signed by him...

and all the other Austrian bishops,

welcoming Hitler to Austria.

We acknowledge happily that

the National Socialist movement has...

for the German Reich and people...

and especially

for the underprivileged classes...

achieved outstanding progress.

The bishops are extending

their blessings and best wishes...

for the future of these efforts.

On the day of the plebiscite,

it is for us bishops...

a natural, national obligation...

to declare ourselves as Germans

and as part of the German Reich.

We expect of all faithful Catholics...

that they will know

what they owe to their people.

That's enough!

You are familiar with Vienna,

aren't you, Bishop Fermoyle?

Yes, I am, Your Eminence.

I'm going to ask the Holy Father

to send you there immediately.

Your official function will be

to shut down the nunciature.

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