When in Rome

Discerning journalist and Catholic, Robert Hutchinson decided in 1996 to take his family to live in Rome for a year so he could explore the secrets of the Vatican. This book is the journal of his Roman sojourn. As he settles in, Hutchinson discovers the many delights and frustrations of life in Rome, and slowly begins his exploration into the lesser known and hallowed portals of the Vatican. With humour and insight, he relates stories of papal mistresses, the discovery and subsequent loss of St Peter's bones, the secret (and unkempt) archives, weird relics, money laundering at the Vatican Bank, the silent and simplistic bureaucracy at the hub of this worldwide church, and even advice on how you get to be a cardinal - or a pope. Despite the scandals and the shortcomings, he remains ultimately respectful to a church which has survived two millennia.