March 11, 1972

I've received a letter from P.L. This is what he says:

 

You may have already learned that Cardinal

 Tisserant died on the 21st [of February]. As he was in

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reality the Vice-Pope, you can imagine the pomp of the

 funeral ceremony, with representatives from the French

 government, the French Academy, the Italian govern

ment, etc.: one full week of ceremonies. Being his

 secretary, I had to organize everything. I am very

 tired.... Msgr. R. very much suffered from this loss. I

 think he will be coming to you in a few weeks, or a

 month at most: he is determined to get out. Many things

 have happened since his meeting with Mother .... [[See conversation of January 29, 1972. ]]

 While filing some papers, I came across the enclosed

 document which may interest you. I hope the bishopric

 continues to leave you in peace ...."

The document is a copy of Cardinal Tisserand's letter to the

 Archbishop of Pondicherry:

Albano, Regina Apostolorum, 13 January 1972

To His Excellency Msgr. A.R.

Archbishop of Pondicherry

Venerable Lord,

As Your Excellency knows, I have directed the Holy Congre

gation for the Eastern Church for nearly twenty-five years, and

 one of my most cherished memories is the journey I made to

your beloved country in 1953. I have always held a keen interest

 in your great nation, but even more so after I visited it. It was

thus with a very special pleasure that I accompanied His

 Holiness Pope Paul VI to the International Eucharistic Con

gress in Bombay.

On that occasion, the Holy Father expressed the wish to

 come in contact with representatives of your country's main

religious movements, and I know, Excellency, that he was

 given a biography of Sri Aurobindo.

It is in fact in connection with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in

Pondicherry that I am taking the liberty of writing Your

 Excellency. I am sure you are aware of the reputation it has

earned beyond India's borders; I have been following its work

 and achievements for years. Recently, I was told of the difficul

ties encountered by those in charge of the Ashram in regard to

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 the proposed creation of a university - a project expressly

favored by the Indian Government; some Catholic students, in

 conjunction with a few priests, are displaying a strong opposi

tion to this project.

I therefore request Your Excellency kindly to use his

 authority to avoid any incident that, at all events, would

 be highly detrimental to the harmony that His Holiness Pope

 Paul VI so much desires, in accord with the rules laid down by

 the Ecumenical Council Vatican II.

With gratitude, I remain, Venerable Lord,

 respectfully and faithfully yours,

Signed: Eugene Card. Tisserand

It's interesting. Who has replaced him?

I don't know, nobody has been appointed yet.

But since then, they've been quiet here.

(Mother plunges in
Champaklal comes up to Mother,
abruptly pulling her out of her state)

I was in Italy.

Stories with cardinals....

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