It's 1917 when we meet 18-year-old Pascalina, a young and idealistic nun whose Mother Superior persuades her to introduce herself to Father Pacelli, a thin and frail-looking priest nearly twice her age. She strikes up a conversation with him, and through a playful yet slightly edgy conversation, they begin to get to know each other.
Months pass, and they meet again when the priest recuperates at the retreat house in Berlin, Germany, where Sister Pascalina works. Father Pacelli becomes impressed by her manner and skills, and we find Pascalina being offered a position as Pacelli's official housekeeper, as he has just been named the Vatican's Ambassador to Berlin.
Years later, the church faces a serious threat when the Vatican Bank is facing bankruptcy. Our protagonist, Pascalina, understands the significant negative consequences her ambitions would suffer from church bankruptcy. She rises to the challenge and plans and delivers a successful gala affair held at the embassy to celebrate Father Pacelli's assignment as ambassador. She designs the affair to entice Mussolini, the fascist leader of Italy, to bail the church out of debt. Fortunately for Pascalina, Mussolini's desire to win over the masses while gaining the appearance of a good Catholic man made it easy for him to agree to a mutually satisfying treaty in return for generous amounts of power and control over church matters. It seems like a win-win, but her work is not unnoticed by a powerful Vatican emissary named Cardinal Tisserant.
In time, Pacelli becomes a Cardinal and the official Secretary of State to the Vatican. Initially, Pascalina is left behind in Germany to tend to affairs there, but six months later, Pacelli summons her to the Vatican as his assistant.
But not all is well in Rome, and as the years pass, Pascalina's influence grows and simultaneously draws the ire of Cardinal Tisserant, who is jealous of the successful professional and personal relationship shared between Pascalina and Pacelli. His failed secret love affair motivates him to prevent his long-term rival (Pacelli) from enjoying a healthy, productive relationship. In his mind, the church stole his love interest away while allowing Pacelli to pursue a satisfying and productive relationship with his "work wife," Sister Pascalina. This internal conflict puts his hostility into overdrive, making him a formidable antagonist.
A complex relationship between Pacelli and Pascalina changes over their 40-year association, and they both, at times, find themselves confused by "blurred lines." At various stages of their relationship, it resembles a mother/son dynamic, an equal partnership, a competitor, or a love relationship between a man and a woman, with the latter being the most difficult for them to reconcile with their chosen calling of being religious leaders in the Catholic church.
Although not in a position to rise to the top of the church leadership, Pascalina vies for advancement along with Pacelli and Tisserant, who both have their eye on becoming Pope. To promote his agenda and reach the top, Tisserant enlists the male hierarchy to help him undermine Pascalina's influence. However, when the then-reigning Pope dies in 1939, Pacelli wins the election and becomes the next Pope, which further empowers Pascalina. This development causes Tisserant to declare an all-out war on Pascalina, and he intensifies his plan to include removing her from the Vatican altogether.
Despite Tisserant's efforts, over time, Pacelli and Pascalina became a powerful team that had much success, but it did not come without controversy and opposition. Narrowly avoiding scandal brought by the unscrupulous but shrewd and effective fundraiser, Cardinal Spellman, the two devise and implement a plan to save oppressed victims of Hitler's Nazi agenda. But the war and stress of the papacy take their toll on Pacelli, and after his health deteriorates, he dies.
Over these years, Pascalina and Tisserant have had a tumultuous relationship, one that often devolved into arguments and debates. Tisserant goes so far as to gather his supporters to belittle and humiliate Pascalina behind the scenes.
But now, Pacelli's passing leaves Tisserant free to oust Pascalina from the Vatican, and he delights in being able to do so. But it appears to be all for naught as, several months later, the newly elected Pope summons the Lapopessa to Rome to discuss the future of the church.
In the finale, Sister Pascalina emphasizes her experience and contributions to the advancement of women in the church as examples to be followed by future generations.
Months pass, and they meet again when the priest recuperates at the retreat house in Berlin, Germany, where Sister Pascalina works. Father Pacelli becomes impressed by her manner and skills, and we find Pascalina being offered a position as Pacelli's official housekeeper, as he has just been named the Vatican's Ambassador to Berlin.
Years later, the church faces a serious threat when the Vatican Bank is facing bankruptcy. Our protagonist, Pascalina, understands the significant negative consequences her ambitions would suffer from church bankruptcy. She rises to the challenge and plans and delivers a successful gala affair held at the embassy to celebrate Father Pacelli's assignment as ambassador. She designs the affair to entice Mussolini, the fascist leader of Italy, to bail the church out of debt. Fortunately for Pascalina, Mussolini's desire to win over the masses while gaining the appearance of a good Catholic man made it easy for him to agree to a mutually satisfying treaty in return for generous amounts of power and control over church matters. It seems like a win-win, but her work is not unnoticed by a powerful Vatican emissary named Cardinal Tisserant.
In time, Pacelli becomes a Cardinal and the official Secretary of State to the Vatican. Initially, Pascalina is left behind in Germany to tend to affairs there, but six months later, Pacelli summons her to the Vatican as his assistant.
But not all is well in Rome, and as the years pass, Pascalina's influence grows and simultaneously draws the ire of Cardinal Tisserant, who is jealous of the successful professional and personal relationship shared between Pascalina and Pacelli. His failed secret love affair motivates him to prevent his long-term rival (Pacelli) from enjoying a healthy, productive relationship. In his mind, the church stole his love interest away while allowing Pacelli to pursue a satisfying and productive relationship with his "work wife," Sister Pascalina. This internal conflict puts his hostility into overdrive, making him a formidable antagonist.
A complex relationship between Pacelli and Pascalina changes over their 40-year association, and they both, at times, find themselves confused by "blurred lines." At various stages of their relationship, it resembles a mother/son dynamic, an equal partnership, a competitor, or a love relationship between a man and a woman, with the latter being the most difficult for them to reconcile with their chosen calling of being religious leaders in the Catholic church.
Although not in a position to rise to the top of the church leadership, Pascalina vies for advancement along with Pacelli and Tisserant, who both have their eye on becoming Pope. To promote his agenda and reach the top, Tisserant enlists the male hierarchy to help him undermine Pascalina's influence. However, when the then-reigning Pope dies in 1939, Pacelli wins the election and becomes the next Pope, which further empowers Pascalina. This development causes Tisserant to declare an all-out war on Pascalina, and he intensifies his plan to include removing her from the Vatican altogether.
Despite Tisserant's efforts, over time, Pacelli and Pascalina became a powerful team that had much success, but it did not come without controversy and opposition. Narrowly avoiding scandal brought by the unscrupulous but shrewd and effective fundraiser, Cardinal Spellman, the two devise and implement a plan to save oppressed victims of Hitler's Nazi agenda. But the war and stress of the papacy take their toll on Pacelli, and after his health deteriorates, he dies.
Over these years, Pascalina and Tisserant have had a tumultuous relationship, one that often devolved into arguments and debates. Tisserant goes so far as to gather his supporters to belittle and humiliate Pascalina behind the scenes.
But now, Pacelli's passing leaves Tisserant free to oust Pascalina from the Vatican, and he delights in being able to do so. But it appears to be all for naught as, several months later, the newly elected Pope summons the Lapopessa to Rome to discuss the future of the church.
In the finale, Sister Pascalina emphasizes her experience and contributions to the advancement of women in the church as examples to be followed by future generations.
The Music of Lapopessa is
Courtesy of MangoDog Music and Never Heard of Her Music
Copyright © 2025 Paul N. Dion and Allen M. Dion
Courtesy of MangoDog Music and Never Heard of Her Music
Copyright © 2025 Paul N. Dion and Allen M. Dion
