At the beginning the Author presents in short, the figure of Msgr. Vincenzo Carbone and
his scientific merits to give the editor the joy to publish this fundamental contribution to
know deeply and better the person of Pope Paul VI and of the Conciliar Minority. In this
presentation appears also the contribution of archbishop Marchetto, the editor, towards a
non-ideological historical knowledge of the Vatican II Council. The third figure presented
at the beginning is the Secretary General himself. For the edition of the Diary the research's
effort was long and difficult because notes and citations (“apparato critic”) were not yet
completed. In any case the references here are the days of the Diary, following which the
reader can find the “apparato critic” of the edition. Here, instead, there are the references of
the Editor’s books on the Vatican Council, able to give the “films” of its history, and the one
of its “actors”. So, it is given the chance to follow the “synodal story” along the paths that
Editor’s former volumes can offer. Last observation: the content of this study is divided in
two epochs: the one of pope John XXIII and the other of Pope Paul VI, taking special attention
of the difficult relations existing between the Secretary General and the Moderators.
Last not least the final summary is worthwhile for those who are in a hurry, giving nevertheless
a unique vision, as far as freedom of speech of the Popes with a man of confidence
and of recta ratio in agibilibus is concerned, such as Archbishop Felici.