STORY - "Roman Tales: Tall but True"

Fr Brian Quillinan CSsR now resides at Lochinvar and celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his Ordination in March. The festivities continued recently at the Diocesan Jubilarians‘ Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

A few years after his ordination, Fr Brian lived in Rome for two years. He immersed himself in the life of the church and the city. His tenure coincided with the Fourth Session of the Second Vatican Council and he has several riveting stories of his Roman exploits.

One tale indicates just how security savvy our world has become. The house where Fr Brian resided was close to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, where the Pope traditionally celebrates Good Friday ceremonies.

Fr Brian was new to the city and his only glimpse of Pope Paul VI had been from that usual high window. On this Good Friday, he hoped to get a much closer view...

He arrived at the church where a capacity crowd, including Senator Bobby Kennedy, mostly stood behind barricades. Fr Brian spotted a bishop walking into the basilica. “I didn’t know where he was going, but I got behind him and pretended to be his secretary.” When the bishop turned round and walked back, Fr Brian had nowhere to go but towards the sanctuary.

There he asked the Guard where the Cardinals sat, and proceeded to the opposite side. The area was occupied by the Canons and important clergy. “I saw one empty stool, so I sat on it.” Cheering alerted the congregation that Pope Paul VI was arriving, preceded by the Curial Cardinals, walking in two by two. The Pope was carried in on his Sedia Gestatoria.

A large, tall man accompanied the Pope. The Canons parted to let them through. This man stood in front of Fr Brian. Fr Brian asked, “Are you with the Pope?” He replied, “I am the Pope’s bodyguard.” “And I was sitting on his stool!” recalls Fr Brian. The bodyguard had to find another seat. Later he asked Fr Brian when the Pope venerated the Cross. Father responded, “‘Don’t you worry about that, I will tell you.’ I pretended to be part of the place.”

Later four Swiss Guards stood in front of Fr Brian. He noticed that the MC was staring directly at him and beckoned. Fr Brian panicked. “I’m gone; I’m going to be marched through the crowds to the papal dungeon.” He stood amid the Guards, but instead of being paraded out shamefaced, he was led to a side chapel. He quickly realised it was the Sacred Altar of Repose; he was directed to kneel and handed a huge ciborium. “Talk about the agony and the ecstasy! One moment I was off to the papal dungeon, then being escorted by the Swiss Guards back to the high altar standing next to the Pope.”

Fr Brian was asked to distribute Communion to the Cardinals, a task usually reserved for the Pope, followed by the march with the Swiss Guards to replace the ciborium. Immediately afterwards he vanished into the crowd before they realised he was an impostor. Adds a chuckling Fr Brian, “It was amazing just how I did it; you wouldn’t get away with it today.”

Later during sessions of the Vatican Council Fr Brian was saluted by a Swiss Guard. He takes up the story: “I was visiting the Basilica and walked past the Guard. Normally if you are a priest, they click their heels, if you are a bishop, they salute.” Puzzled, Fr Brian walked past another Guard; the salute was repeated. Finally he realised the old style camera light meter he wore round his neck had been mistaken for a bishop’s pectoral cross.

Remarkably he was able to attend some of the actual sessions using his little subterfuge. “I used to duck into the Council quite a bit after that!”

Fr Brian was also present at lectures outside the Sessions of the Council run by a group of theologians, “who were the real dynamism of the Council.” One particular “young man” Fr Brian remembers attending lectures with was Dr Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. He met Cardinal Suenens, Karl Rahner, Hans Kung, Roger Schultz and Bishop Fulton Sheen. Bernard Häring, the great moral theologian, lived in the same community as Fr Brian.

A fellow member of his community was Xavier Rynne (Fr Francis Xavier Murphy), a journalist who later wrote books on each of the Vatican II sessions. “They made the Council intelligible to people who weren’t there.”

His reminiscences also include attending the closing sessions of the Council inside the Basilica when some of the documents were signed during Mass. The next day, he witnessed the ceremonial closing. “It was tremendous to have been there, particularly for the closing sessions, they were most impressive, real history was being made.

“My life as a priest has been very much influenced by the Council, there are so many positive things that have happened, particularly the involvement of the laity, the growing influence of women, it is a lot better now.” Fr Brian was delighted by the signing of the Ecumenical Covenant earlier this year, saying, “We have come a long way in this field.”

Fr Brian concludes with his vision of our church’s future. It involves a larger say by the laity in its direction and operation, and a more inclusive church. He also hopes to see a greater recognition of the role that women play in the church. And though the young don’t attend Mass as much these days, Fr Brian says, “There is a real goodness within them, and they have high aspirations so that somewhere in the future, we will be able to relate better to them and involve them.”

Fr Brian has dedicated more than fifty years to his Redemptorist priesthood, experienced countless unforgettable adventures, led a vibrant and varied life, and witnessed an unsurpassed era of our church’s transformation following Vatican II, all with a wonderful sense of humour.

Trish Bogan

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