88.4

“No, PEN Decides, It Won’t Invite the Pope to Join.” Article by Walter Goodman. New York Times, 17 May, Sec. C, p. 20. Mailer is only paraphrased in this piece, which describes his attempt to convince the American Chapter of PEN to offer an honorary membership to Pope John Paul II based on his recent encyclical, “On Social Concern,” and other writings. He was opposed by PEN’s president Susan Sontag (who succeeded him) and novelist Maureen Howard, and the proposal never made it formally onto the floor.